Raman spectroscopic study on the formation of an adduct of acetonitrile with formamide

Raman spectra of binary mixtures of acetonitrile (ACN) and formamide (FA) in different compositions were obtained. The appearance of a new band at 2257 cm −1, whose intensity shows large dependence on the FA concentration, is assigned to a FA–ACN adduct. This has been possible owing to the two H-bond donor sites of FA and the strong donor character of ACN, becoming the environment propitious for the donor–acceptor reaction. Quantitative measurements performed in the C N stretching region in the binary mixtures give a 1:1 stoichiometry in this adduct in the limit of infinite dilution. In the N–H stretching region of FA, the band at 3270 cm −1 is assigned to (FA–FA) n interactions, via hydrogen bonding. The experimental evidence of the 1:1 FA–ACN adduct is presented for the first time using Raman spectroscopy. The results described here open new possibilities to study this adduct and to evaluate thermodynamics parameters of interest.