Comprehensive Analysis of Methyl-β‑D‑ribofuranoside: A Multifaceted Spectroscopic and Theoretical Approach

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the vibrational spectra of methyl-β-D-ribofuranoside. Employing a combination of inelastic neutron scattering, Raman, and infrared spectroscopy allows for the observation of all modes regardless of the selection rules. The experimental techniques were complemented by density functional theory computational methods using both gas-phase (Gaussian) and solid-state (CRYSTAL, CASTEP) approaches to provide an unambiguous assignment of the defining vibrational features. Two distinct structures of the molecule were identified in the unit cell, differentiated mainly by the orientation of the furanose ring O–H bonds. The low-energy region of the spectrum (–1) is dominated by lattice vibrations and functional group rotation, while the midenergy region is dominated by out-of-plane bending motions of the furanose ring (400–900 cm–1) and by C–H bending in the methyl and methylene groups (1400–1600 cm–1). The high-energy region (>2800 cm–1) encompasses the C–H and O–H stretching modes and offers convincing evidence of at least one H-bonding interaction between the two structures of methyl-β-D-ribofuranoside.