ABSTRACT
The full set of routine physical data that should be obtained on a pure compound is as follows: IR, UV, NMR (1H, 13C, and any other relevant nuclei), low-and high-resolution mass spectra, m.p. or b.p., and microanalysis (for a new compound). If the compound is optically active, then the optical rotation must also be measured. Only MS and microanalysis from this list are destructive techniques, but modern techniques mean that only a small amount of material need be “sacrificed” for these purposes. Some general points concerning these techniques and the sample requirements are given below.
