Solvent effects on C?O stretching frequencies of some 1-substituted 2-pyrrolidinones

In an effort to model solute–solvent interactions, the CO stretching frequencies of five 1-substituted 2-pyrrolidinones and four other carbonyl-containing compounds were measured for 30 common solvents. These were then correlated with four empirical parameter sets and one theoretical (computational) parameter set. While an empirical parameter set gave the best correlation equations, the theoretical parameter equations are physically and statistically significant. Solvent volume, polarizability and hydrogen bond donor acidity (capacity) terms are significant in the correlation equations.