The Application of Infra-Red Spectroscopy to Pharmaceutical Analysis

Summary A general outline of infra-red techniques is presented for the purpose of indicating the potential range of applications in the routine examination of pharmaceutical materials. Examples of qualitative investigations include the identification of compounds, the observation of impurities and spectra-structure correlations. Quantitative analyses of single compounds and of multi-component mixtures are described which are impossible, more difficult or time-consuming to perform by chemical or other physical methods. Advantages of the analytical techniques described are the ease of sample preparation, the straightforward nature of extraction procedures, and the fundamental fact that every organic compound has its own specific infra-red spectrum.