Quantum chemical computations and Fourier transform infrared spectral studies of a nonlinear food dye E110

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum of a well-known food dye sunset yellow FCF (E110) has been recorded and analysed. Assignments of the vibrational spectrum has been facilitated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results of the optimized molecular structure obtained on the basis of B3LYP with 6-31G(d) along with the ‘LANL2DZ’ basis sets give clear evidence for the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and strong hydrogen bonding enhancing the optical nonlinearity of the molecule. The first hyperpolarizability of the acidic monoazo dye ‘E110’ is computed. Azo stretching frequencies have been lowered due to conjugation and π-electron delocalization. Hydroxyl vibrations with intramolecular H-bonding are analyzed, supported by the computed results. The natural bond orbitals (NBO) analysis confirms this strong hydrogen bond between the hydrogen of the hydroxyl group and nitrogen of the azo group of the molecule. Assignments of benzene and naphthalene ring vibrations are found to agree well with the theoretical wave numbers.