What absorbs at 1650 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?
A band near 1650 cm⁻¹ can point to several functional groups. Below are the most likely assignments, ranked by how much published evidence supports each — every one traceable to literature (DOI) and cross-validated against our 130,000+ reference spectra and knowledge graph.
Backed by 8 cited sources
Quick answer
A band near 1650 cm⁻¹ is usually interpreted by checking which functional groups repeatedly co-occur there in the literature, then confirming at least one or two additional peaks in the same sample. This page ranks those assignments by accumulated evidence rather than by a single fixed textbook rule.
Possible functional-group assignments
Ranking reflects accumulated literature evidence, not a single fixed rule. Always confirm against your sample context.
Possible materials
| Material | Supporting peaks | Overlapping groups | Cited sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| cellulose | 1650, 1735, 1160 | Acetate, Amide | 2 |
| starch | 1650, 1540, 1150 | Acetate, Amide | 1 |
Materials are shown only when the same literature pool supports this band and at least one additional characteristic peak.
Spectrum logic
This band becomes meaningful only when read with its neighboring peaks. In practice, analysts first look at the assignments above, then check whether the same sample also shows other peaks expected for the same structural motif. A lone band near 1650 cm⁻¹ is usually not enough for material identification by itself.
Real-world usage
This type of query is common in polymer identification, unknown plastic screening, QC troubleshooting, recycled-material verification, and literature-backed peak assignment review.
Common mistakes
- Treating one isolated band as proof of a material without checking at least one or two supporting peaks.
- Ignoring overlap: multiple functional groups can contribute near the same wavenumber.
- Skipping validation when additives, blends, oxidation, or contamination may distort the spectrum.
Verification advice
When ambiguity remains, validate the hypothesis with DSC, GC-MS, or TGA, especially for blends, degraded samples, and filled polymers.
Literature behind these assignments
-
Amide confidence 1.0
“CdO cm-1, the band in the ester group at 1751 that of 1700 cm-1 CdO cm-1 On the other hand, the Acesulfame-K band at 945 does due to the stretch in carboxylic acids, and the band CdO cm-1 not overlap with any Aspartame band, but the low sig”
Armenta 等 - 2004 - FTIR determination of aspartame and acesulfame-k i DOI: 10.1021/jf049218l -
N h confidence 1.0
“the relatively interference free region in which it occurs, the mode occurs in the Raman at Other vibrations, C the in-plane NH deformation vibration falls from 1650 to O stretching band is reasonably easy to recognise.”
Arjunan 等 - 2007 - Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectral assi DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2006.09.044 -
Acetate confidence 1.0
“(mostly peptide bond C=O stretch) near 1650 The current study refines and extends the range a n of utility of a novel simulation method that accurately predicts the IR Amide I spectral contour from u the three dimensional structure of a pro”
Bryan 等 - 2007 - FTIR studies of collagen model peptides Complemen DOI: 10.1021/ja071154i. -
Carbohydrate confidence 1.0
“cm-1 intensity peak with maximum absorbance at 1520 The intensity of the peaks at 1650 (assigned to cm-1 R-helices) Chemically, TA has a glucose core surrounded by several galloyl and 1625 (assigned to (cid:226)-sheet) in the kafirin groups”
Byaruhanga 等 - 2006 - Alteration of kafirin and kafirin film structure b DOI: 10.1021/jf052942z -
C c single bond confidence 1.0
“3413 3423 3438 3445 3449 -CH C-H -CH and in HPMC [5] 2837, 2919 2837, 2919 2843, 2936 2879, 2937 2879, 2939 stretching vibration of 3 2 C-C O-H Combination of stretching mode of HPMC and deformation vibrations 1650 1653 1651 1651 1649”
Effects of ionic liquid on the hydroxylpropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) solid polymer electrolyte DOI: 10.1007/s11581-016-1768-0 -
Water (H2O) confidence 1.0
“± ± area variations during the water absorption [dry state-(1650 10) wet state-(1644.6 0.6) However, an opposite situation might be detected in case of the peak no.”
IR Study on Cellulose with the Varied Moisture Contents: Insight into the Supramolecular Structure DOI: 10.3390/ma13204573 -
Hydroxyl (O-H) confidence 1.0
“The peak at 1650 was consistent with the O-H bending of the bound 2 water in the cellulose structure, as a result of strong interactions between cellulose and water [15, 16].”
Nanocellulose-silica polyethersulfone hybrid composite stabilized lipase for esterification DOI: 10.1063/1.5125521 -
Amide confidence 1.0
“LLM confirmed rule peak-group candidate”
Ellis 等 - 2021 - Insight into metastatic oral cancer tissue from no DOI: 10.1039/d1an00922b
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