Acid–Base Interactions in the Dichloroacetic Acid–Ethyl Acetate System according to IR Spectroscopic Data

The method of multiple total internal reflection infrared spectroscopy (MTIRIRS) is used to study ion–molecular interactions in the system dichloroacetic acid–ethyl acetate in the range of concentrations from pure acid to pure base at 30°C. Depending on the ratio of components in the solution, molecular complexes with acid : base ratios of 1 : 1 or 2 : 1 are formed in the solutions. In the case of excess acid, base is not protonated and species with a strong symmetric hydrogen bond are not formed. It is shown that the absorption coefficient near 2000 cm^–1 can be used to judge the type of the complex formed and the strength of a hydrogen bond in molecular complexes.