Calculation and investigation of infrared absorption spectrum of rhodanine

The IR absorption spectrum of rhodanine was obtained in the 400–3500 cm^–1 region. A full set of frequencies for the vibrational spectrum was determined by a mechanical model with C_s symmetry, and an interpretation of the bands in the IR spectrum of rhodanine is given. The change in the IR spectrum of cyclopentane when the structure of the ring is complicated by introduction of two heteroatoms is examined. It is shown that a sulfur atom reduces and a nitrogen atom increases the frequencies of the ring stretching vibrations. Successive increase in the number of heteroatoms in the cyclopentane ring lowers the D_5h symmetry of the molecule, but traces of high symmetry remain in the spectrum of rhodanine.