DFT and experimental study on the IR spectra and structure of 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (o-vanillin) and its oxyanion

The structure of o-vanillin molecule and its oxyanion have been studied by density functional theory (DFT), employing the B3LYP functional and 6-311++G** basis set. All conformational isomers of o-vanillin and of its anion have been located and their relative energies have been determined. The IR spectral changes, caused by the conversion of the molecule into the corresponding oxyanion have been studied. In a general agreement between theory and experiment, the conversion causes a frequency decrease of the carbonyl stretching band ν(CO) and essential intensity increases of the aromatic skeletal bands as well as methyl stretching band ν(CH₃). According to the NBO electric charge analysis, the oxyanionic center bears 60% of the whole anionic net charge.