Question

Question: How could you use chemical shift and integration data in ¹H NMR spectroscopy to distinguish between CH₃OCH₂CH₂OCH₃and CH₃OCH₂OCH₃? The ¹H NMR spectrum of each compound contains only singlets.

Short answer

Answer

Step-by-step solution

Step 1:  1H NMR spectroscopy

The ¹HNMR spectroscopy analyzes the chemical environment by coupling the protons.

Determination of compounds

• If the proton is in the same chemical environment, there will be only one peak.
• If the protons are in different chemical environments, there will be more than one peak.

Explanation

In the compound CH₃OCH₂CH₂OCH₃, CH₂CH₂ is in the same environment. Therefore, it has two types of protons.

Oxygen is an electronegative atom that gives a higher chemical shift value.

In the compound CH₃OCH₂OCH₃, CH₂ is in the same environment. Therefore, it has two types of protons.

Chemical shift and integration data