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Probing the Molecular Orientation of Methyl Isobutyl Carbinol at the Air–Water Interface
Author(s) -
Nguyen Khoi Tan,
Shahir Afshin Asadzadeh,
Nguyen Anh V.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of surfactants and detergents
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.349
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1558-9293
pISSN - 1097-3958
DOI - 10.1007/s11743-017-1976-2
Subject(s) - chemistry , molecule , orientation (vector space) , hydrogen bond , sum frequency generation spectroscopy , spectroscopy , coupling (piping) , crystallography , analytical chemistry (journal) , organic chemistry , sum frequency generation , optics , composite material , laser , materials science , physics , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics , nonlinear optics
The molecular orientation of a branched and short‐chained methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC) at the air–water interface was examined by sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy. The weak vibrational coupling model was spectroscopically validated and employed in developing the data analysis model of this multiple terminal methyl groups‐containing structure. The exceptional frothability of MIBC was explained by its molecular orientation at the interface; MIBC was found to tilt at an average angle of 39 o to the surface normal, exposing its hydrophobic region to the air medium. Interestingly, this orientation scheme is similar to the hydrogen bonded OH bonds of the interfacial water molecules.