Raman spectra of gases: 24—Phenol

The medium resolution Raman spectrum of gaseous phenol has been recorded between 4000 and 50 cm−1 using the 5145 Å line of an argon laser. A number of a′ bands have been observed which correspond to previously assigned normal modes, but lines at 1388 and 1285 cm−1, which are not normally observed in the infrared spectrum of the gas, have been assigned as fundamentals. In addition, a strong Raman band at 1007 cm−1 is probably an overtone of an out‐of‐plane vibration at 503 cm−1 in resonance with a nearby a′ fundamental. Two bands at 824 and 810 cm−1 were both found to belong to the symmetric a′ species. Previous assignments have dealt with these two bands as having different symmetries. A reassignment of some of the fundamentals of phenol may be necessary to account for these Raman observations.