Attenuated total reflection FT–IR study of hydrogen bonding in water/ether mixtures

A FTIR–ATR study of hydrogen bonding in binary aqueous mixtures containing tetrahydrofuran, 1,4-dioxane or poly(ethylene oxide) is reported. Observed spectra were converted to linear absorption coefficient spectra using the Bertie–Eysel procedure. The frequency of the OH stretching mode in isotopically dilute HOD was found to increase with ether concentration, implying a continuous reduction in average hydrogen-bond strength. In water-rich mixtures, the initial gradients were proportional to the number of oxygen atoms in the cyclic ether molecules or in the polymer subunit.