Display omitted •Spectroscopic results were compared with computed data.•Electronic properties of the title compound studied in various solvents.•Electron density map were computed using TD-DFT for different solvents.•Molecular docking studies confirm compound has a good antidepressant drug. The biologically active compound 2,4,6-tri(propan-2-yl)benzenesulfonyl chloride has been investigated by utilizing both (FT-IR, Raman, UV–Vis, and proton and carbon NMR) experimental and (DFT and TD-DFT) theoretical techniques in this work. DFT has been used with B3LYP and basis set 6-311++ G(d,p) toward deriving molecular geometrical structure, vibrational frequencies. Frontier molecular orbital (FMO) and Ultra violet-Vis analysis of the headline compound with solvent effect have been investigated by TD-DFT/M062X method. The 1H, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shift of the headline compound was calculated and these results compare to experimental data. The electrostatic potential with various solvent effects was portrayed to know the nucleophilic and electrophilic regions. Intra-molecular associates have been explained utilizing NHO, NLMO, and NBO analysis. The Mulliken charge analysis of the headline compound has also been investigated. Electron localization function (ELF) analysis gave details regarding the Pauli exchange repulsion effect in the electron of the molecule. The QSAR, Bioactive score prediction studies supported the developing biological activities of the headline compound. Finally, molecular docking is examined to detect the antidepressant activity of the heading compound.