Spectroscopy Tutorial: Phenols and Enols


IR Spectroscopy

The most prominent band in IRs of phenols is the O–H stretch.

Since phenols are aromatics, also look for aromatic IR bands.

NMR Spectroscopy

The hydroxylic proton can show up anywhere from 4–12 ppm. It appears as a sharp singlet. It is usually from 4–7.5 ppm but can be found from 10–12 ppm if it is on a ring with a carbonyl substituent. Enols show up from 15-17 ppm.

Example

Example 17