Vibrational spectra, ab initio calculations and vibrational assignments of 3-butyn-1-ol

The infrared spectra of 3-butyn-1-ol, HCCCH2CH2OH, have been recorded as a vapour in the range 3600–50 cm−1 and as a liquid between 3600 and 400 cm−1. Additional spectra of the alcohol isolated in an argon matrix at ca. 5 K were obtained and spectra were recorded after annealing to various temperatures between 10 and 35 K. spectra of the liquid were recorded at room temperature and at various temperatures between 295 and 143 K. Spectra of an amorphous solid were recorded at 78 K. In spite of several attempts and many different annealing temperatures, the sample crystallized neither in the IR nor in the Raman cryostats. In the variable temperature Raman spectra, some bands of the liquid changed in relative intensity and were interpreted in terms of conformational equilibria between two of the five possible conformers. Complete assignments were made for all the bands of the most stable conformer gg, in which the OH group is approaching the triple bond, forming an intramolecular hydrogen bond. From various bands assigned to a second conformer aa, in which OH is oriented anti to the CC bond, or a third conformer ag, the conformational enthalpy difference was found to be ΔconfH(ag-gg) = 0.9 kJ mol−1 in the liquid. The two highest energy conformers g’g and ag were not detected. m-chemical calculations have been carried out at the MP2 and B3LYP levels with a variety of basis sets. The calculations revealed that gg was the low energy conformer and CBS-QB3 calculations suggested the gg conformer was more stable by 5.4 and 4.2 kJ mol−1 relative to ag and aa, respectively, in the vapour. Vibrational wavenumbers and infrared and Raman band intensities for the three low energy conformers are reported from B3LYP/cc-pVTZ calculations.