Assignment UV-VIS

1. The Ultraviolet spectrum of benzonitrile shows a primary absorption band at 224nm

and a secondary band at 271nm.
a. If a solution of benzonitrile in water with a concentration of 1x 10-4 molar, is
examined at a wavelength of 224nm, the absorbance is determined to be
1.30. the cell length is 1cm. What is the molar absorptivity of this absorption
band?
b. If the same solution is examined at 271nm, what will be the absorbance
reading (=1000)? What will be the intensity ratio Io/I?
2. The UV spectrum of acetone shows absorption maxima at 166, 189 and 279nm. What
type of transition is responsible for each of these bands?
3. Chloromethane has an absorption maximum at 172nm, bromomethane shows an
absorption at 204nm, and iodomethane shows a bond at 258nm. What type of
transition is responsible for each band? How can the trend of absorptions be
explained?
4. Which of the following compounds would you expect to have a -* UV absorption in
the 200 to 400 nm range?
CH2

(CH3)2C=C=O
N

5. Would you expect allene, 2HC=C=CH2, to show a UV absorption in the 200 to 400 nm
range? Explain?
6. Which of the following compounds would you expect to show UV absorptions in the
200 to 400nm range?

7. Arrange the following molecules according to the wavelength that they would
absorb (from lowest to highest) in the UV VIS spectra. Explain your answer.
a. CH2=CHCH=CH2
b. CH3CH2CH2CH=CH2
c. CH2=CHCH=CHCH=CH2
d. CH2=CHCH2CH2CH=CH2
8. Determine which molecule would have the longer wavelength of absorption
and why?
a. CH2CHCH2CH2COCH3
b. CH3CH2CH=CHCOCH3
9. State the two primary UV-Vis excitations and give an example for each.
10. An energy of approximately 340 kJ mol-1 is needed to excite an electron in
compound X. Can UV-Vis spectrometry be used to experimentally measure
compound X?
11. Consider the following compounds and state which compounds can be
detected using UV-Vis spectrometry and whether you would expect any shift in
the position of max.
H3C
O in ethanol
a.
H
N

in water
b.

c.
H3C
OH in CCl4
d.