Compare the HNMR spectrum of tryphenylmethanol with that of benzophenone and explain the difference.

Question

Compare the HNMR spectrum of tryphenylmethanol with that of benzophenone and explain the difference.

Answer 1

Without having the spectra in front of me, I think the chemical shifts of the aromatic protons for both to be in the 7-8 ppm range, although I can't predict the splitting pattern. However, only triphenylmethanol will have the hydroxyl -OH in the 3-5 ppm range, and this signal will be reduced by deuterium exchange with D2O.

The two would be more easily distiguished from each other by IR spectroscopy, with the carbonyl and hydroxyl bands being very different and obvious on the spectra.