VKC ScienceChemistry for written exams Telegram

UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist

Chemist

  • 3 descriptive papers
  • 200 marks each
  • 3 h per paper

Mains Paper III covers analytical and organic chemistry.

UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist, Mains · 2022 · Mains Paper III

Q6(h). Citral and citronellal by IR: conjugated and isolated C=O

Question

How can you distinguish between citral and citronellal on the basis of their IR spectra? [structures of citral and citronellal given in the paper]

Answer in brief

Citral (conjugated aldehyde): C=O near 1680 cm⁻¹ and a strong C=C band near 1635 cm⁻¹; citronellal (saturated aldehyde): C=O near 1725 cm⁻¹.

Part of VKC Basic

Read the key points and the full model answer with VKC Basic

VKC Basic (₹999 for 6 months) opens every solved answer, the notes, the handbook and the daily answer archive. Every Mains test series includes it.

See what is included Already a member? Sign in

The full model answer

As written for the answer booklet: the diagram carries the working, the lines stay short. Read here only; it is not offered as a download.

The handwritten model answer pages open with the VKC plan.

CoversIR spectroscopycitralcitronellalconjugated carbonylC=O stretching frequency