Distinguishing Quinacridone Pigments via Terahertz Spectroscopy: Absorption Experiments and Solid-State Density Functional Theory Simulations

Through a combined experimental and theoretical investigation we determine that the fundamental modes of three quinacridones fall in the terahertz spectral range (1-10 THz, ∼30-300 cm^-1). In each spectrum the terahertz resonances correspond to wagging, rocking, or twisting of the quinacridone rings, with the most intense absorption being an in-plane rocking vibration of the carbonyl oxygens. In spite of these spectral similarities, we demonstrate that terahertz measurements readily differentiate β-quinacridone, γ-quinacridone, and 2,9-dimethylquinacridone. The spectrum of β-quinacridone has a group of closely spaced modes at ∼4 THz, whereas in contrast the spectrum of γ-quinacridone displays a widely spaced series of modes spread over the range ∼1-5 THz. Both of these have the strongest mode at ∼9 THz, whereas in contrast 2,9-dimethylquinacridone exhibits the strongest mode at ∼7 THz. Because quinacridones are the basis of widely used synthetic pigments of relatively recent origin, our findings offer promising applications in the identification and dating of modern art.