Vibrational Spectroscopy and Organic Chemistry Thirty Years of Symbiosis

Abstract

The author analyses the relation between organic chemistry and vibrational spectroscopy and the manner in which it has changed during the thirty year period since the Journal of the Spectroscopical Society of Japan began publication. A review of the period 1950-1960 emphasizes the early interest of organic chemists in using infrared spectroscopy to solve problems of molecular structure and qualitative analysis. This was based very largely on a classification of infrared absorption bands in terms of local group frequencies. The newer developments in instrumental analysis in the 1960's and 1970's have had both positive and negative effects on the use of infrared and Raman spectroscopy by organic chemists. This is discussed with particular reference to (proton) nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. laser Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The more general consequences of the development of data analysis systems based on the use of electronic computers are also evaluated.