In: Chemistry
What peaks, if any, would be seen in the IR spectrum if unreacted starting materials were present in the final product. (Isopentyl alcohol reacts with acetic acid to produce isopentyl acetate).
If unreacted isopentyl alcohol is present in the final product, i.e. isopentyl acetate, then there appears a medium absorption at 3650-3600 Cm-1 that corresponds to free O-H stretching of the hydroxy group and another medium absorption at 3400-3200 Cm-1 that corresponds to H-bonded O-H stretching of the hydroxyl group of isopentyl alcohol with carbonyl oxygen of isopentyl acetate.
Free acetic acid can't be present in the final product because one needs to do the water work up to get the final product, where acetic acid, if present will go to the aqueous phase. By chance, if it's present in the final product, you will see a medium absorption at 3400-2400 Cm-1 that corresponds to O-H stretching of carboxylic acid and a strong absorption at 1725-1700 Cm-1 that corresponds to C=O stretching of the carboxylic acid group.