Chemistry Letters, Vol.44, No.6, 834-836, 2015
An Origin of Complicated Infrared Spectra of Perfluoroalkyl Compounds Involving a Normal Alkyl Group
Perfluoroallcyl (M) compounds containing a normal alkyl group often yield highly complicated infrared (IR) spectra especially in the C-F stretching vibration (vC-F) region. To reveal the reason behind this, the IR p-polarized multiple-angle incidence resolution spectrometry (pMAIRS) is employed to measure a monolayer of CF3(CF2)(9)(CH2)(3)COOH deposited on a silicon substrate. The compound is known to spontaneously aggregate to form a molecular assembly with the closest packing, in which the molecules are oriented perpendicular to the substrate. The IR pMAIRS spectra apparently prove that the complexity of the vC-F region is due to the normal alkyl part directly connected to the Rf group because the carbons in the Rf group are vibrated as a coupled oscillator, and the oscillation of the alkyl part propagates to the Rf part along the molecular axis.