Hydrogen bonding interaction between N-methylformamide and alcohols

The hydrogen bonding interactions between N-methylformamide and primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols have been studied using the FTIR spectroscopic method. The most likely association complex between alcohol and N-methylformamide is the 1:1 stoichiometric complex formed between the hydroxyl group of alcohol and the carbonyl group of N-methylformamide. The formation constant of the 1:1 complexes has been calculated using the Nash method. It appears that the primary alcohols have larger formation constant compared with the secondary and tertiary alcohols. The results showed that the proton-donating ability of the alcohols decreased in the order: primary>secondary>tertiary, and that the association constant increased with the increase in carbon chain of the alkyl group of alcohols.