The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and FT-Raman spectra of 2-chloro-1H-isoindole-1,3(2H)-dione and 2-methyl-1H-isoindole-1,3(2H)-dione have been measured in the range of 4000-400 and 4000-100 cm(-1), respectively. Complete vibrational assignment and analysis of the fundamental modes of the compounds were performed using the observed FTIR and FT-Raman data. The geometry was optimised without any symmetry constraints using the DFT/B3LYP method with 6-31G(d,p) and 6-311++G(d,p) basis sets. The vibrational frequencies determined experimentally are compared with those obtained theoretically from DFT gradient calculations employing the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) methods for the optimised geometry of the compounds. The structural parameters and normal modes of vibration obtained from DFT method are in good agreement with the experimental data. The force fields obtained from DFT method were utilised and the potential energy distributions of all the fundamental vibrations of the compounds were calculated.