A method for generating quantitative vapor-phase infrared spectra of solids: results for phenol, camphor, menthol, syringol, dicyclopentadiene and naphthalene

•Method for generation of quantitative vapor-phase infrared spectra for solids with moderate volatility.•Solid analytes reported include dicyclopentadiene, menthol, syringol, phenol, camphor, and naphthalene.•Technique widely applicable/reproducible and proven useful at bypassing the challenges associated with high temperature measurements.•PNNL continues to expand database with high resolution, high accuracy broadband infrared spectra. A method is presented to generate quantitative vapor-phase infrared spectra from substances that naturally occur as solids with moderate volatility. The solid is gravimetrically dissolved into a solvent that has few infrared spectral features, typically CS2 and CCl4 separately. The solution is flowed at a constant rate from a linearly pumped syringe into a metered stream of nitrogen carrier gas regulated by a mass flow controller. The analyte/solvent mix is flash vaporized by volatilizing the solution across a heated stainless-steel surface as it emanates from the syringe tip. The N2 gas-solution mixture is flowed into a long-path White cell thermostatted at a desired temperature, the long optical path compensating for the modest analyte mixing ratio. A composite spectrum is generated from typically ten or more 760-Torr pressure-broadened spectra over the 600 to 6500 cm−1 spectral range at 0.1 cm−1 spectral resolution. The solid analytes reported here using this novel technique include dicyclopentadiene, menthol, syringol, phenol, camphor, and naphthalene.