Overtone spectra of 2-mercaptoethanol and 1,2-ethanedithiol

Vibrational spectra of vapor-phase 1,2-ethanedithiol and 2-mercaptoethanol were recorded to investigate weak intramolecular interactions. The spectra were recorded with conventional absorption spectroscopy and laser photoacoustic spectroscopy in the 2000-11,000 cm(-1) region. The room temperature spectra of each molecule are complicated by contributions from several conformers. Anharmonic oscillator local-mode calculations of the OH- and SH-stretching transitions have been performed to facilitate assignment of the different conformers in the spectra. We observe evidence of hydrogen-bond-like interactions from OH to S, but not from SH to O or S. The OH to S intramolecular interaction in 2-mercaptoethanol is weak and comparable to that found in the OH to O interaction in ethylene glycol.