How will you distinguish maleic acid and fumaric acid by their IR spectra?

December 19, 2025

Infrared spectroscopy helps scientists easily distinguish maleic acid from Fumaric Acid. It shows clear differences in their absorption bands. This method is important in many industries. Companies like NORBIDAR use it to check if fumaric acid is pure and safe. Fumaric Acid is essential for animal nutrition and beverages. Maleic acid and fumaric acid are both dicarboxylic acids. Maleic acid has a cis form, but Fumaric Acid has a trans form. Their unique structures alter how each acid appears on the IR spectrum.

Acid TypeStability LevelIndustrial Application Importance
Fumaric AcidHigherUsed more for long-lasting food and medicine products, including Fumaric Acid For Beverages and Fumaric Acid For Animal Nutrition
Maleic AcidLowerUsed less because it is not stable and can affect safety and quality

Key Takeaways

  • Maleic acid shows a wide carbonyl peak at 1708 cm⁻¹. Fumaric acid has a sharp peak close to 1685 cm⁻¹. This difference helps us tell them apart. Maleic acid has strong hydrogen bonds, so its IR peaks are wider. Fumaric acid has weaker hydrogen bonds, so its peaks look clearer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is a good way to check if fumaric acid and maleic acid are pure in factories. Knowing the structure of maleic acid (cis) and fumaric acid (trans) helps us read their IR spectra. IR spectroscopy can quickly show if there are impurities in samples. This helps keep products safe and good in many industries.

Key IR Spectral Differences

Infrared spectroscopy is a tool that helps scientists tell maleic acid and fumaric acid apart. Both acids are dicarboxylic acids, but their structures are not the same. This makes their IR spectra look different. These differences help people in labs and factories pick the right test. Maleic acid and fumaric acid have different acidity. This also shows up in their IR spectra. Spectroscopy is a good way to see these differences.

Diagnostic Peaks in Maleic Acid

Maleic acid has a cis structure. This means its two carboxyl groups are close together. Because they are close, strong hydrogen bonds form. These bonds change the IR spectrum of maleic acid. The carbonyl (C=O) stretch in maleic acid is broad and not sharp. You can see this peak around 1708 cm⁻¹. The O-H stretch is also broad and strong. It shows up between 2500 and 3300 cm⁻¹. The broad peaks come from the hydrogen bonds. Maleic acid also has a C=C stretch near 1620 cm⁻¹. These features make the IR spectrum of maleic acid look different from fumaric acid.

Note: Strong hydrogen bonding in maleic acid makes the carbonyl peak wide and not sharp.

Diagnostic Peaks in Fumaric Acid

Fumaric acid has a trans structure. Its carboxyl groups are far apart. This means there is less hydrogen bonding. The carbonyl (C=O) stretch in fumaric acid is sharp and clear. You can find this peak near 1685 cm⁻¹. The O-H stretch is not as broad as in maleic acid. It is between 2500 and 3300 cm⁻¹, but it is weaker and not as wide. Fumaric acid also has a C=C stretch near 1623 cm⁻¹, but it is not very strong. The IR spectrum of fumaric acid looks neat and easy to read.

Tip: The sharp carbonyl peak in fumaric acid helps scientists find it fast.

Quick Comparison Table

FeatureMaleic Acid (cis)Fumaric Acid (trans)
Carbonyl (C=O) StretchBroad, less sharp, ~1708 cm⁻¹Sharp, well-defined, ~1685 cm⁻¹
O-H StretchBroad, strong, 2500–3300 cm⁻¹Less broad, 2500–3300 cm⁻¹
C=C Stretch~1620 cm⁻¹~1623 cm⁻¹
Hydrogen BondingStrongWeak
Acidity DifferencesMore acidicLess acidic

Scientists use these IR spectral differences to pick the right test for maleic acid and fumaric acid. Spectroscopy helps make sure fumaric acid is pure in products from companies like NORBIDAR. Both acids are dicarboxylic acids, so they have special IR features. Their acidity differences also change their spectra. These tests make it easy to tell the two acids apart. Fumaric acid and maleic acid are important in many industries, so it is important to identify them correctly. Spectroscopy is the best way to check for purity and quality.

Structure and IR Features of Maleic Acid and Fumaric Acid

Structure and IR Features of Maleic Acid and Fumaric Acid

Cis vs. Trans Isomerism

Maleic acid and fumaric acid are both dicarboxylic acids. The main difference is their shape. Maleic acid has a cis structure. This means both carboxyl groups are on the same side. Fumaric acid has a trans structure. Its carboxyl groups are on opposite sides. This small change in shape makes their properties very different.

Scientists can see these differences in their IR spectra. Maleic acid has two main conformers. These are called cis-trans and cis-cis. Fumaric acid has three main conformers. One of them is also cis-cis. These conformers change how the acids absorb infrared light. The table below shows how the isomers are different in their IR features:

IsomerConformers ObservedCharacteristics in IR Spectroscopy
Maleic acidI (cis-trans), II (cis-cis)Generates novel conformers VI (trans-trans) and VII (cis-trans)
Fumaric acidI, II, III (cis-cis)Gives rise to new cis-trans conformers IV-VII

NORBIDAR makes high-quality fumaric acid for many uses. The trans structure of fumaric acid makes it more stable. This helps in food, drinks, and medicine. Companies pick fumaric acid because its IR spectrum is clear and easy to read.

Hydrogen Bonding Effects

Hydrogen bonding changes how maleic acid and fumaric acid look in IR spectra. Maleic acid forms strong hydrogen bonds. This is because its carboxyl groups are close together. Fumaric acid has weaker hydrogen bonds. Its groups are farther apart.

  • The C=O stretch in maleic acid is at 1706 cm−1. When mixed with other chemicals, this peak moves to 1734 cm−1. This shows how hydrogen bonding changes the acid.
  • The hydrogen-bonded C=O group in maleic acid is at 1722 cm−1. A shoulder at 1734 cm−1 can also show up in mixtures.
  • When hydrogen bonding changes, some absorption bands go away. This happens near 1590 and 1586 cm−1.
  • Fumaric acid mixtures have stronger interactions. The O-H stretching bands move to higher numbers. This shows how hydrogen bonding affects the acid.

These changes help scientists tell the acids apart. The IR spectrum of fumaric acid is sharp and clear. Maleic acid has wider peaks because of strong hydrogen bonds. NORBIDAR’s fumaric acid is special because its trans structure gives a clean IR spectrum.

For more information, scientists use reference spectra from trusted places. These include PubChem, Drugbank, and mzCloud. The table below lists some of these sources:

SourceDescription
PubChemReference spectra for maleic acid and fumaric acid
DrugbankReference spectra for fumaric acid and maleic acid
mzCloudHigh-quality mass spectral data for fumaric acid
Virtual Computational Chemistry LaboratoryOnline spectral data
Molinspiration CheminformaticsChemical property data

The structure of maleic acid and fumaric acid controls their IR features. Their isomerism and hydrogen bonding make special patterns. This helps companies using NORBIDAR’s fumaric acid check quality and purity easily.

Role of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in Identification

Role of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in Identification

Spectroscopy Techniques

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy helps scientists find out if a sample has maleic acid or fumaric acid. This method uses infrared light to see how molecules take in energy. Maleic acid and fumaric acid have different structures. Because of this, their IR spectra are not the same. FTIR gives clearer and more detailed bands than old IR tools. Scientists use FTIR to spot special vibrations in both acids. The table below lists some important absorption bands for these acids:

CompoundAbsorption Band (cm−1)Vibration Type
Maleic acid1568COO− antisymmetric stretching vibration
Fumaric acid1562COO− antisymmetric stretching vibration
Maleic acid1395Symmetric stretching vibration
Fumaric acid1372Symmetric stretching vibration
Fumaric acid1214C-O (H) stretching vibration

Scientists use different FTIR methods to study these acids. Attenuated total internal reflection (ATR) infrared spectroscopy is good for looking at the IR spectra of maleic acid and fumaric acid. Researchers use ATR to see how these acids work with metal oxide films. In situ infrared studies help scientists watch how dicarboxylic acids act on surfaces.

To get the best results, scientists dry the samples first. They use the potassium bromide tableting method. They use tools like the TENSOR27 Fourier infrared spectrometer. They record spectra from 400 to 4000 cm–1.

Practical Applications in Industry

FTIR is very important for checking the quality of fumaric acid and maleic acid in factories and labs. Companies like NORBIDAR use FTIR to make sure fumaric acid is pure. This method helps workers measure the right amount of each part in fumaric acid products. FTIR also finds things that should not be in the product. Workers can see when and where these things get into the product during making.

FTIR helps companies follow strict rules for food and medicine. The United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) makes rules for quality and purity. USP chapter <191> tells how to use IR spectra to check ingredients. The Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) gives more rules for checking food ingredients like fumaric acid.

FTIR makes it easy for scientists and workers to tell maleic acid and fumaric acid apart. This method saves time and helps keep people safe in many industries. Companies trust FTIR to make sure their products are pure and safe.

Infrared spectra make it easy to see the difference between maleic acid and fumaric acid. Maleic acid has a cis structure, so its peaks are wide. Fumaric acid has a trans structure, so its bands are sharp and clear. FTIR helps scientists and workers check if the acid is pure or has something extra in it. NORBIDAR uses FTIR to make sure their products are good quality. The table below shows how FTIR helps people find out which acid is in a sample and if it is pure.

CharacteristicDescription
Impurity IdentificationFTIR finds maleic acid by a special peak close to 1700 cm⁻¹.
Purity AssessmentThe strength of the peak tells how much acid is there and helps keep quality high.

Tip: If you see a sharp carbonyl peak near 1685 cm⁻¹, you can quickly know it is fumaric acid in the lab.

FAQ

What is the main IR difference between maleic acid and fumaric acid?

The main difference is the carbonyl (C=O) stretch. Maleic acid shows a broad peak near 1708 cm⁻¹. Fumaric acid shows a sharp peak near 1685 cm⁻¹.

Why does maleic acid have broader IR peaks?

Maleic acid forms strong hydrogen bonds. These bonds make the IR peaks, especially the O-H and C=O stretches, wider and less sharp.

How does FTIR help in quality control?

FTIR gives clear spectra for both acids. Scientists use these spectra to check purity and spot impurities in products like NORBIDAR’s fumaric acid.

Can IR spectroscopy detect small amounts of impurities?

Yes. IR spectroscopy can find even small amounts of maleic acid in fumaric acid. The unique peaks make detection easy and reliable.

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