Abstract
The Raman spectra of n‐octane, decane, cetane and eicosane in the liquid state have been photographed. With increasing chain length the low‐lying Raman lines (< 800 cm—1) become few in number and very diffuse. This observation is interpreted in terms of a number of chain configurations co‐existing in the liquid state in contrast to the extended configuration found by x‐ray analysis of crystalline paraffins. Theoretical investigations which assume that the carbon atoms in a chain are coplanar are not applicable to data obtained for liquid (and gaseous) paraffins.

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