Advanced Organic Chemistry: 13C NMR spectrum of but-1-ene CH3CH2CH=CH2

Interpreting and explaining the Carbon-13 NMR spectrum of but-1-ene (1-butene)

[Author © Dr Phil Brown PhD: Doc Brown's advanced level organic chemistry exam revision notes suitable for students of UK A level chemistry courses & US K12 grade 11, grade 12 and AP honors chemistry courses: Molecular spectrometry - analysing the 13C NMR spectra of butan-1ene [spectra page updated April 3rd 2026 *]

 email doc brown Re-edit 13C NMR spectrum of CH3CH2CH=CH2

 Links associated with but-1-ene  *  [privacy policy, cookies and disclaimer]

 This is a BIG chemistry website, PLEASE take time to explore it

 C-13 NMR spectroscopy - spectra index

Introductory note on the 13C NMR spectrum of but-1-ene

Students and teachers please note that my explanation of the carbon-13 NMR spectrum of but-1-ene is designed for advanced, but pre-university, chemistry courses.

The description does not involve the chemical shift δ spin-spin coupling effects for but-1-ene and the relative size of the carbon-13 NMR shifts does not give the ratio of the carbon atoms in the different non-equivalent chemical environments of the but-1-ene molecule.

The most common solvent used for investigating the 13C NMR spectrum of compounds like but-1-ene, is CDCl3 and other deuterated solvents.

13C nmr spectrum of but-1-ene C4H8 CH3CH2CH=CH3 analysis of chemical shifts ppm interpretation of C-13 chemical shifts ppm of 1-butene C13 13-C nmr doc brown's advanced organic chemistry revision notes 

TMS is the acronym for tetramethylsilane, formula Si(CH3)4, whose 13C atoms are arbitrarily given a chemical shift of 0.0 ppm. This is the 'standard' in 13C NMR spectroscopy and all other 13C resonances, called chemical shifts, are measured with respect to the TMS, and depend on the individual (electronic) chemical environment of the 13C atoms in an organic molecule - but-1-ene here.

But-1-ene, alkenes structure and naming (c) doc b, alkenes structure and naming (c) doc b , alkene

The molecular structure and naming of alkenes

Interpreting the C-13 NMR spectrum of but-1-ene

As you can see from the diagram above there are 4 different 13C chemical shift lines in the C-13 NMR spectrum of but-1-ene indicating 4 different chemical environments of the 4 carbon atoms of but-1-ene.

H2C=CH-CH2-CH3

(Note the 4 different colours indicating the 4 different chemical environments of the 4 carbon atoms in but-1-ene).

13C chemical shifts (a) to (d) on the C-13 NMR spectrum diagram for but-1-ene.

(a) 113 ppm for the =CH2 carbon atom

(b) 140 ppm for the CH carbon atom

(c) 27 ppm for the -CH2- carbon atom

(d) 13 ppm for the -CH3 carbon atom

The carbon-13 NMR spectra provides direct evidence of 4 different carbon atom environments for the 4 carbon atoms in the but-1-ene molecule, deduced from the presence of 4 different 13C NMR chemical shifts (ppm).

Key words & phrases: C4H8 CH3CH2CH=CH3 Interpreting the C-13 NMR spectra of but-1-ene, C-13 nmr spectrum of but-1-ene, understanding the carbon-13 nmr spectrum of but-1-ene, explaining the line pattern in the high resolution C-13 nmr spectra of but-1-ene, revising the C-13 nmr spectrum of but-1-ene, ppm chemical shifts of the C-13 nmr spectrum of but-1-ene, how to construct the diagram of the C-13 nmr spectrum of but-1-ene, how to analyse the chemical shifts in the carbon-13 NMR spectrum of but-1-ene deducing the chemical environment of all the carbon atoms in but-1-ene examining the c13 nmr spectrum of  but-1-ene analysing the 13-c nmr spectrum of but-1-ene how do you sketch and interpret the C-13 NMR spectrum of but-1-ene interpreting interpretation of the C-13 NMR spectrum of but-1-ene assignment of chemical shifts in the 13C NMR spectrum of but-1-ene type functional group alkene 1-butene butylene butene How do you interpret the chemical shifts of the C-13 NMR spectrum of but-1-ene How to interpret the C-13 NMR spectrum of but-1-ene Explanatory diagram of the 13C C-13 carbon-13 NMR spectrum of the  number of different carbon atom environments in the but-1-ene molecule from its carbon-13 NMR spectrum to help work out the molecular structure of the but-1-ene molecule? The uses and distinctive features of the carbon-13 NMR spectrum of the but-1-ene molecule explained. What do the number and values of the chemical shifts from the c-13 carbon-13 NMR spectrum tell us about the but-1-ene molecule? explaining the decoupled carbon-13 NMR spectrum of but-1-ene  with a detailed interpretation diagram of all the C-13 chemical shifts and intensities

Links associated with but-1-ene

The chemistry of ALKENES revision notes INDEX

The infrared spectrum of but-1-ene

The mass spectrum of but-1-ene

The H-1 NMR spectrum of but-1-ene  (Please read 8 points at the top of the 1H NMR index page)

C-13 NMR spectroscopy index

ALL SPECTROSCOPY INDEXES

All Advanced Organic Chemistry Notes

Use My Google search site box

Email doc b: chem55555@hotmail.com

Website content © Dr Phil Brown 2000+. All copyrights reserved on revision notes, images, quizzes, worksheets etc. Copying of Doc Brown's pre-university advanced level chemistry website material is NOT permitted. Exam revision summaries & references to science course specifications are unofficial. These organic chemistry revision notes on spectroscopy (13C NMR spectra of but-1-ene) are suitable for use of pre-university students studying AQA advanced level chemistry, Edexcel advanced level chemistry, OCR advanced level chemistry, IB advanced level chemistry, WJEC (Eduqas) advanced level chemistry, CIE advanced level chemistry, CCEA advanced level chemistry, US grade 11-12 AP honors chemistry courses and they will also prove useful to 1st year undergraduate students of chemistry.

TOP OF PAGE