Fermi Resonance of Infrared Vibrations in the —NH2 Groups of Polynucleotides

Abstract

The —NH2 group causes an intensive band pair in the i.r. spectra of DNA, r.RNA, poly (A + U), and poly (G + C). One band occurs at 3330, another at 3180 cm−1. This band pair is due to the NH stretching vibration of the hydrogen-bonded NH group as well as to the harmonic vibration of the —NH2 bending vibration, whereby these vibrations are coupled via Fermi resonance. This follows on comparison with papers on amines. The weak shoulder in the 3500–3400 cm−1 range is to be assigned to the stretching vibrations of the non hydrogen-bonded NH groups. The doublet structure disappears to a large extent in the denaturated DNA, since the strength of the Fermi resonance depends on the strength of the hydrogen bonds and the hydrogen bonds are of differing strength, due to the bending and stretching. The relative intensities of the two bands are interchanged in the corresponding band pair of the —ND2 groups, for which an explanation can also be given.