What absorbs at 2500 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?
A band near 2500 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 2500 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
| Functional group | Supporting facts | Cited sources | Top confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydroxyl (O-H) | 21 | 18 | 1.0 |
| Carboxyl (COOH) | 4 | 4 | 1.0 |
| Alkyl C-H | 3 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Methoxy (OCH3) | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Methacrylate | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| C-O single bond | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Acetate | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| N-O bond | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Carbonate | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Hydrogen bond | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Nitrile | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Ring structure | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Alkene (C=C) | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Adsorbed carbon monoxide | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| C-S single bond | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Fatty acid | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| N h | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| N n bond | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Thiol | 1 | 0 | 1.0 |
| Metal hydroxyl | 1 | 0 | 1.0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| nanotube | 2500, 1540, 1080 | Hydroxyl (O-H), Alkyl C-H, Carboxyl (COOH) | 1 |
| edible oils | 2500, 1743, 1064 | Alkyl C-H, Carboxyl (COOH) | 1 |
| GO | 2500, 1720, 1182 | Hydroxyl (O-H), Methoxy (OCH3), Alkyl C-H | 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 2500 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
-
N n bond confidence 1.0
“Moreover, the broad peak at 2500 and 3500 cm corresponding to N N-H of amines and O-H of carboxylic was removed in this sample indicating their successful”
Covalent diphenylalanine peptide nanotube conjugated to folic acid/magnetic nanoparticles for anti-cancer drug delivery DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2017.06.005 -
Hydroxyl (O-H) confidence 1.0
“The effect of re-adsorbed water on hydrogen bonds in dried brown D2O, there was an additional complex band at containing adsorbed coal was studied by the comparison of DRIFT analysis of dried brown 2500cm-1 assigned to O-D [10,11].”
Insight into the interaction between hydrogen bonds in brown coal and water DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2018.09.119 -
Fatty acid confidence 1.0
“Another OAH palm oils, were obtained from supermarkets or oil companies characteristic band caused by stretching of fatty acids is in 2500-4000cm(cid:1)1.”
Determination of the acid values of edible oils via FTIR spectroscopy based on the OH stretching band DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.06.035 -
Alkyl C-H confidence 1.0
“Table 3 summarizes the integrated cross sections -1 -4.4 13 -1 -1 The peaks of C H ethane were shifted between cm (peak between 2500 cm and 3333 cm of our measurements and of the 2 6 -1”
Absorption cross sections of 13C ethane and propane isotopologues in the 3µm region DOI: 10.1016/j.jqsrt.2017.05.012 -
C-S single bond confidence 1.0
“FTIR spectra of amino acids, Canarium nut protein and BSA, with numbers indicating amide I band (1), amide II band (2), C=C aromatic at 1500 cm-1 (3), C=O (4), C-S interaction at 2500 cm-1 (5) and N-H at - NH3+ terminal bands (6).”
Nugrahani 等 - 2020 - FTIR Method for Peptide Content Estimation and Deg DOI: 10.14499/indonesianjpharm31iss2pp78 -
Hydroxyl (O-H) confidence 1.0
“Therefore, the O-D bonds as the broad peak between 2500 and 2700 of the spectrum irradiated cm(cid:1)1 between 2700 and 2500 at 228 K.”
Tanaka 等 - 2004 - Hydrogen isotope behavior in Li2O at low temperatu DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2004.04.233 -
Hydroxyl (O-H) confidence 1.0
“(A) FTIR spectrum of Ag-GO sample (B) FTIR spectra of GO and Ag-GO reported in (cm-1) FTIR peaks Ref.22 Stretching vibration This work O-H 2500-3650 3368 C-O-C 1010 1067 C-OH 1220 1387 C=C 1557 1621 C=O 1770 1720 Table 1.”
Synergistic antibacterial activity of surfactant free Ag–GO nanocomposites DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80013-w -
confidence 1.0
“Another interesting aspect that can be seen in these spectra is the absence of XRD cm-1 broad bands in the region of 2500 [24], characteristic of the quaternized nitrogen of the piperazinyl group All diffractograms are shown in Fig.”
Goncalves Nunes 等 - 2018 - Thermal, spectroscopic and antimicrobial activity DOI: 10.1007/s10973-018-7019-z
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