Advanced pre-university organic chemistry: The 1H NMR spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate

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Interpreting and explaining the H-1 (proton) NMR spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate)

[Author © Dr Phil Brown PhD: Doc Brown's advanced level organic chemistry exam revision notes suitable for students of UK A level chemistry courses, IB chemistry & US K12 grade 11, grade 12 and AP honors chemistry courses: Molecular spectroscopy - analysing the 1H NMR spectra of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate, methyl salicylate [spectra page updated April 4th 2026 *]

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 H-1 proton NMR spectroscopy - spectra index


Introductory note on the 1H NMR spectra of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate)

Students and teachers please note my explanation of the proton NMR spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate) is designed for advanced, but pre-university, chemistry courses.

The chemical shift δ splitting pattern effects for methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate) are confined to a proton spin-spin coupling effects analysed using the n+1 rule for adjacent non-equivalent proton fields (n is the number of neighbouring protons in a non-equivalent different chemical environment for the methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate) molecule).

It is assumed that the integrated intensities of the δ chemical shifts give the ratio of the protons in the different non-equivalent chemical environments of the methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate) molecule.

The most common solvent used for investigating the 1H NMR spectrum of compounds like methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate), is CDCl3 and other deuterated solvents to avoid confusion with a 1H NMR signal, 2D (2H) has a different chemical shift.

1H proton nmr spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate low/high resolution diagrams C8H8O3 analysis interpretation of chemical shifts ppm spin spin line splitting diagram H1 H-1 nmr for methyl salicylate explaining spin-spin coupling for line splitting oil of wintergreen doc brown's advanced organic chemistry revision notes 

TMS is the acronym for tetramethylsilane, formula Si(CH3)4, whose protons are arbitrarily given a chemical shift of 0.0 ppm. This is the 'standard' in 1H NMR spectroscopy and all other proton resonances, called chemical shifts, are measured with respect to the TMS, and depend on the individual (electronic) chemical environment of the hydrogen atoms in an organic molecule - methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate here.

The chemical shifts quoted in ppm on the diagram of the H-1 NMR spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate represent the peaks of the intensity of the chemical shifts of (which are often groups of split lines at high resolution) AND the relative integrated areas under the peaks gives you the ratio of protons in the different chemical environments of the methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate molecule.

C8H8O3, (c) doc b or , methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate, 'oil of wintergreen'

For more see The molecular structure and naming of carboxylic acids and derivatives

For more see The molecular structure and naming of aromatic compounds

Interpreting the H-1 NMR spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate

For relatively simple molecules, the low resolution H-1 NMR spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate is a good starting point (low resolution diagram above).

The 8 hydrogen atoms (protons) of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate occupy 6 different chemical environments so that the low resolution NMR spectra should show 6 principal 1H resonance peaks of different H-1 NMR chemical shifts (diagram above for methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate).

Note the lack of symmetry results in 6 different 1H chemical shifts for this molecule.

Note the proton ratio 3:1:1:1:1:1 of the 8 protons of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate in the 6 chemically different proton environments

Chemical shifts (a) to (f) on the H-1 NMR spectrum diagram for methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate.

Although there are 8 hydrogen atoms in the molecule, the proton NMR spectrum shows there are only 6 possible different chemical environments for the hydrogen atoms in methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate molecule.

The integrated proton signal ratio of 3:1:1:1:1:1 observed in the high resolution H-1 NMR spectrum, corresponds with the structural formula of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate.

The high resolution 1H NMR spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate)

In terms of spin-spin coupling from the possible proton magnetic orientations, for methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate I have only considered the interactions of non-equivalent protons on adjacent carbon atoms

The high resolution spectra of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate shows 6 groups of proton resonances and in the ratio expected from the structural formula of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate, but we can now consider the splitting of resonance lines from the spin-spin coupling in the molecule of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate.

The ppm quoted on the diagram represent the peak of resonance intensity for a particular proton group in the molecule of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate - since the peak' is at the apex of a band of H-1 NMR resonances due to spin - spin coupling field splitting effects - see high resolution notes on methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate below.

So, using the chemical shifts and applying the n+1 rule to methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate and make some predictions using some colour coding! (In problem solving you work the other way round!)

1H NMR resonance (a) 1H Chemical shift δ 3.93 ppm:

A singlet resonance for the methyl protons, since no protons on an adjacent carbon atom.

1H NMR resonance (b) 1H Chemical shift δ 10.74 ppm:

A singlet for the hydroxyl proton, since no protons on an adjacent carbon atom.

This hydroxyl proton of the phenol group can be distinguished from other protons in the methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate molecule by the addition of D2O to the CDCl3 (or other) solvent, and the ensuing rapid proton exchange reduces the 1H NMR shift signal, which is different to the 2D (2H) chemical shift.

1H NMR resonance (c) 1H Chemical shift δ 6.97 ppm:

The ring carbon 3 proton resonance is split into a doublet by the ring carbon 4 proton (n+1 = 2). The split (c) resonance overlap with the split (e) resonances.

A series of singlets and doublets in the region of δ 6.4 and 8.2 ppm is indicative of benzene ring protons - you can see this in 1H NMR resonances (c) to (f) in the spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate.

1H NMR resonance (d) 1H Chemical shift δ 7.43 ppm:

The ring carbon 4 proton resonance is split into a triplet by the ring carbon protons 3 and 5 (n+2 = 3).

1H NMR resonance (e) 1H Chemical shift δ 6.87 ppm:

The ring carbon 5 proton resonance is split into a triplet by the ring carbon protons 4 and 6 (n+2 = 3).

1H NMR resonance (f) 1H Chemical shift δ 7.81 ppm:

The ring carbon 6 proton resonance is split into a doublet by the ring carbon 5 proton (n+1 = 2).


The splitting pattern from proton spin-spin coupling effects is analysed using the n+1 rule for adjacent non-equivalent proton fields (n is the number of neighbouring protons in a non-equivalent different chemical environment) and applied to the 1H NMR spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate).

Number of directly adjacent protons 1H causing splitting Splitting pattern produced from the n+1 rule on spin-spin coupling and the theoretical ratio of line intensities
0 means no splitting             1            
1 creates a doublet           1   1          
2 creates a triplet         1   2   1        
3 creates a quartet       1   3   3   1      
4 creates a quintet     1   4   6   4   1    
5 creates a sextet   1   5   10   10   5   1  
6 creates a septet 1   6   15   20   15   6   1

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Links associated with methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate

The infrared spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate)

The mass spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate)

The C-13 NMR spectrum of methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate (methyl salicylate)

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