Vibrational spectroscopy of perfluoropropionic acid in the region between 1000 and 11 000 cm

Fully fluorinated compounds, known as perfluorinated compounds, are widely used in industrial applications. Recently, some perfluorinated acids have been detected in the atmosphere and the tissues of animals. Some perfluorocarboxylic acids are emitted to the atmosphere from the thermolysis of fluoropolymers and the degradation of fluorotelomer alcohols. The gas phase vibrational spectrum of a representative perfluorocarboxylic acid in the region between 1000 and 11 000 cm⁻¹ has been investigated, with emphasis on the vibrational overtone spectrum in the near-IR region. The most intense transition in the fundamental spectrum is the CF₃ stretch while in the overtone region, the O-H stretch carries most of the intensity. A comparison of the perfluorocarboxylic acid vibrational spectrum with the hydrocarbon analog acid is discussed.