What absorbs at 874 cm⁻¹ in an FTIR spectrum?

Quick answer

A band near 874 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

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 874 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

• Hydroxyl (O-H) confidence 1.0

  “Table 2 The Particle Size by XRD of Chemically Synthesized C-O C-O 942 stretching 1015 stretching CuO-NPs Cu-O-H Cu-O-H 874 bending 929 bending”

  El Bialy 等 - 2020 - Comparative Toxicological Effects of Biologically DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S241922
• Hydroxyl (O-H) confidence 1.0

  “High sensitivcm)1 fingerprint region (e.g., strong 1032, 899, and 1500 to 400 ity to small variations in protein secondary structure (Table 1), cm)1 peaks), the shape of the O-H stretch region, and a peak at 874 molecular geometry, and hydr”

  Elkins - 2011 - Rapid Presumptive Fingerprinting of Body Fluids DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01870.x
• C c single bond confidence 1.0

  “The other peaks include 1064 (C-C skeletal vibration), 874 cm-1 198 (vinylidene group), 853 (-CH 2rocking), 761 (-CF 3stretching) and 694 (-CH 2bending) all”

  Effect of polyaniline (PANI) on Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexaflouro propylene) (PVDF-co-HFP) polymer electrolyte membrane prepared by breath figure method DOI: 10.1016/j.polymertesting.2017.03.012
• Oxygen heterocycle confidence 1.0

  “The bands at 1254, brane during the phase inversion process depending on the cm(cid:1)1 are assigned to assymetric vibration of 874, and 699 interaction of the silica with the polymer matrix and the affinity CAOAC, CAOAC CACl (epoxy ring) v”

  Jon 等 - 2013 - Influence of silica addition on the properties of DOI: 10.1002/app.38997
• confidence 1.0

  “The bands at 1254 is assigned to asymmetric vibration of C-O-C while cm-1 are indicating the presence of C-O-C (epoxy ring) vibration and C-Cl of the absorption peaks at 874 and 699”

  Nor 等 - 2013 - Gas Permeability of ENRPVC Membrane with the Addi DOI: 10.1063/1.4858770
• Phosphate (PO4) confidence 1.0

  “1214.2 PO4 P=O associated stretching vibrations bond, P=O stretching vibrations 1136.7 PO4 1062.3 PO4 bond, P=O stretching vibrations 987.2 P-O-P asymmetric stretching bond 874.1 P-O-P asymmetric stretching bond 792.0 P-O-P asymmetric stret”

  Growth and characterization of calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate crystals from single diffusion gel technique DOI: 10.1002/crat.200900700
• confidence 1.0

  “It can be isotope exchange, can be assigned to overtones of the very noted that D-exchange affects mentioned bands but also the 1670-1650cm-1, 874cm-1, ν(CO) strong bands at ca.”

  Rozenberg 等 - 2004 - Low temperature FTIR spectra and hydrogen bonds in DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2003.12.013
• Aromatic ring confidence 1.0

  “A new peak that was observed at 874 cm-1 and 812 (after chemical activation) was due to the out-of-plane bending of aromatic C-H [36,37].”

  Adsorption of Methylene Blue by Biosorption on Alkali-Treated Solanum incanum: Isotherms, Equilibrium and Mechanism DOI: 10.3390/su14052644