ABSTRACT
The near-infrared (NIR) spectrum of benzene has been thoroughly described by Kaye1 and others. Benzene is such a highly symmetrical molecule that only a few of its vibrations are infrared active. However, the inactive modes participate in the overtones and combinations of the NIR. An explanation for the nomenclature of the fundamental vibrational modes used by Kaye is provided in Figure 4.1 from Avram and Mateescu.2 Only the vibrations labeled “IR” have fundamental IR bands. The band assignments for the Œrst combination and Œrst overtone regions are provided in Table 4.1, using the Herzberg nomenclature as described in Figure 4.1.
