Comparative study of the H-bond and FTIR spectra between 2,2-hydroxymethyl propionic acid and 2,2-hydroxymethyl butanoic acid

In the present paper, the FTIR band and H-bond differences between the two dihydroxy-based carboxyls, 2,2-hydroxymethyl butanoic acid (hereinafter abbreviated to DMBA) and 2,2-hydroxymethyl propionic acid (hereinafter abbreviated to DMPA), were analyzed based on the crystal structure as well as the relation between H-bond and FTIR band of DMPA. In addition, the energy and length of the H-bonds formed between COOH, between OH, between COOH and OH were also calculated via molecular modeling. The results showed that three H-bond types existing in DMPA while only two in DMBA. The COOH pattern and H-bond type in DMBA and DMPA can be preliminarily judged according to the band position and relative strength of the νOH and νCOOH in FTIR spectrum. The H atom in COOH is a stronger H-bond donor than that in primary OH, while the O atom in primary OH is a stronger H-bond acceptor than that in COOH. The H-bond formed by two COOH is, therefore, weaker than that formed by COOH (as donor) and OH (as acceptor), which makes νCO shift to lower frequency in DMPA than in DMBA.