Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and computational studies of 2-(4-bromophenyl)-2-oxoethyl 3-methylbenzoate by density functional theory Diwaker a , C.S. Chidan Kumar b,c,⇑ , Ashish Kumar a , Siddegowda Chandraju d , Hoong-Kun Fun b,e , Ching Kheng Quah b a School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi, HP 175005, India b X-ray Crystallography Unit, School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), 11800 Penang, Malaysia c Department of Engineering Chemistry, Alva’s Institute of Engineering & Technology, Mijar, Moodbidri 57422, Karnataka, India d Department of Sugar Technology and Chemistry, Sir M. Visvesvaraya PG Center, University of Mysore, Tubinakere, Mandya 571402, India e Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia highlights  Molecular structure of title compound is reported using DFT and X-ray analysis.  NLO investigation reveals the title compound a strong candidate for SHG.  IR and NMR spectra are computed using DFT approach.  Band structure and TDOS along with PDOS are plotted. graphical abstract article info Article history: Received 13 December 2014 Received in revised form 13 March 2015 Accepted 17 March 2015 Available online 24 March 2015 Keywords: DFT DOS GIAO XRD FTIR NMR abstract The title compound, 2-(4-bromophenyl)-2-oxoethyl 3-methylbenzoate, has been synthesized and characterized using experimental FTIR, 1 H and 13 C NMR, single crystal XRD and various theoretical meth- ods (FTIR, NMR, electronic and band gap studies). The compound crystallizes in monoclinic space group P2 1 /c with a = 8.176 (2) Å, b = 7.82 (2) Å, c = 2.952 (6) Å, b = 91.330 (4)° and Z = 4. The initial coordinate geometry obtained by XRD is further used to obtain the optimized ground state geometry of the inves- tigated compound using HF and DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,2p) level of theory. Geometrical parameters, vibrational frequencies, (GIAO) 1 H and 13 C NMR chemical shifts have been calculated theoretically using the optimized ground state geometry. Apart from this, density of states of different atoms, total density of states and band gap studies have also been successfully studied using theoretical models. Ó 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Introduction There have been long-standing interests in photo-releasable protecting groups, for their applications in various multistep syn- thesis. Keto ester is a derivative of an acid which is formed by http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2015.03.028 0022-2860/Ó 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. ⇑ Corresponding author at: Department of Engineering Chemistry, Alva’s Institute of Engineering & Technology, Mijar, Moodbidri 57422, Karnataka, India. Tel.: +91 9980200463. E-mail address: chidankumar@gmail.com (C.S. Chidan Kumar). Journal of Molecular Structure 1092 (2015) 192–201 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Molecular Structure journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/molstruc