FTIR PEAK INTERPRETATION

What absorbs at 3300 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?

A band near 3300 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

Possible functional-group assignments

Functional group Supporting facts Cited sources Top confidence
Hydroxyl (O-H) 69 67 1.0
N h 19 18 1.0
Amide 14 11 1.0
Water (H2O) 6 5 1.0
Alkyl C-H 3 3 0.9
Silanol (Si-OH) 2 2 0.9
Protein 2 1 0.8
Amine primary 2 1 0.8
Phenolic 1 1 1.0
C-O single bond 1 1 0.95
Methacrylate 1 1 0.9
Aromatic ring 1 1 0.9
Hydrogen bond 1 1 0.8

Ranking reflects accumulated literature evidence, not a single authoritative rule. Always confirm against your sample context.

Literature behind these assignments

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