Raman and infrared spectra, conformational stability, ab initio calculations and vibrational assignments for 2-chloroethyl silane

The infrared (3500–30 cm⁻¹) spectra of gaseous and solid and the Raman (3500–10 cm⁻¹) spectra of liquid with quantitative depolarization ratios and solid 2-chloroethyl silane, ClCH₂CH₂SiH₃, have been recorded. Similar data have been recorded for the Si–d₃ isotopomer. These data indicate that two conformers, trans and gauche, are present in the fluid states but only one conformer, trans, is present in the solid. The mid-infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquified xenon as a function of temperature (−55 to −100°C) has been recorded. The enthalpy difference between the conformers has been determined to be 181±12 cm⁻¹ (2.17±0.14 kJ/mol) with the trans rotamer the more stable form. From the isolated Si–H frequencies from the Si–d₂ isotopomer the r_o Si–H distances of 1.484 and 1.483 Å for the trans and 1.481 for the gauche conformers have been obtained. Ab initio calculations have been carried out with several different basis sets up to MP2/6-311+G** from which structural parameters and conformational stabilities have been determined. With all the basis sets the trans form is predicted to be the more stable conformer which is consistent with the experimental results. These results are compared to the corresponding quantities for the carbon analogue.     

Conformational and structural studies of ethyl fluorosilane from temperature dependent FT-IR spectra of krypton solutions and ab initio calculations

The infrared spectra (3200–30 cm⁻¹) of gaseous and solid ethyl fluorosilane, CH₃CH₂SiH₂F, have been recorded. Additionally, the Raman spectra (3200–30 cm⁻¹) of the liquid and solid have been recorded and quantitative depolarization values obtained. Both the gauche and trans conformers have been identified in the fluid phases but only the gauche conformer remains in the solid. Variable temperature (−105 to −150°C) studies of the infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquid krypton have been carried out. From these data, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 54±16 cm⁻¹ (646±191 J/mol) with the gauche conformer the more stable form. This is consistent with the predictions from ab initio, MP2/6-311+G(2d,2p), calculation as well as those with smaller basis sets with full electron correlations. A complete vibrational assignment is proposed for both the trans and gauche conformers based on infrared band contours, relative intensities, depolarization values, and group frequencies, which are supported by normal-coordinate calculations utilizing the force constants from MP2/6-31G(d) ab initio calculations. Complete equilibrium geometries have been determined for both rotamers by ab initio calculations employing a variety of basis sets up to 6-311+G(2d,2p) at levels of restricted Hartree–Fock (RHF) and/or Moller Plesset to the second order (MP2) with full electron correlation. The adjusted r₀ parameters have been obtained for both conformers from a combination of the previously reported rotational constants with ab initio predicted values. All results are compared to similar quantities of some corresponding molecules.     

Conformational stability of 1-pentyne from temperature dependent FT-IR spectra of liquid rare gas solutions and ab initio calculations

Variable temperature studies of the infrared spectra (3500–400 cm⁻¹) of 1-pentyne, CH₃CH₂CH₂CCH, dissolved in liquid xenon (−55 to −100°C) and liquid krypton (−105 to −150°C) have been recorded. These data indicate that the anti (methyl group trans to the acetylenic group) and gauche conformers have relative concentrations that vary with the temperature, i.e. enthalpy nonzero. Utilizing seven sets of conformer pairs for the xenon solution and ten sets of conformer pairs for the krypton solution, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 50±6 cm⁻¹ (0.60±0.07 kJ/mol) and 45±4 cm⁻¹ (0.54±0.05 kJ/mol), respectively, with the anti conformer the more stable form. Because of two equivalent gauche forms, this conformer is estimated to be in higher abundance at 61±1% in the xenon solution and 62±1% in the krypton solution. Optimized geometries and conformational stabilities have been obtained from ab initio calculations with basis sets 6-31G(d), 6-311+G(d,p), 6-311+G(2d,2p) and 6-311+G(2df,2pd) with full electron correlation by the perturbation method to second order (MP2). All of the calculations predict the gauche rotamer to be the more stable form with a high value of 181 cm⁻¹ from the MP2/6-311+G(d,p) calculations and a low value of 107 cm⁻¹ from the MP2/6-311+G(2d,2p) calculation. The r_o adjusted structural parameters have been obtained from a combination of the microwave rotational constants and ab initio predicted parameters. The values are compared to the recently reported values from an electron diffraction study where the value for the CC bond distance appears to be too long. The results are discussed and the conformational stability is compared to those obtained for some similar molecules.     

Conformational and structural studies of 1-chloropropane and 1-bromopropane from temperature-dependant FT-IR spectra of rare gas solutions and ab initio calculations

Variable temperature (−55 to −150°C) studies of the infrared spectra (3500–400 cm⁻¹) of 1-chloropropane (CH₃CH₂CH₂Cl) and 1-bromopropane (CH₃CH₂CH₂Br) dissolved in liquid krypton and xenon, respectively, have been recorded. Utilizing two conformer pairs in krypton solution for chloride and three conformer pairs in xenon solution for bromide, enthalpy differences of 52±3 cm⁻¹ (0.62±0.06 kJ/mol) and 72±7 cm⁻¹ (0.86±0.08 kJ/mol) were obtained for the chloride and bromide, respectively, with the gauche form being the more stable conformer for both molecules. From these data, it is estimated that 28 and 26% of trans form are present at ambient temperature for the chloride and bromide, respectively. The conformation stabilities, harmonic force constants, fundamental frequencies, infrared intensities and Raman activities have been obtained from RHF/6-31G(d) and/or MP2/6-31G(d) ab initio calculations for both halopropanes and these quantities have been compared to the experimental values when appropriate. The optimized geometries have also been obtained with several different ab initio basis sets with full electron correlation by the perturbation method up to MP2/6-311+G(2d,2p). The r₀ structural parameters of both halopropanes have been obtained by combining the ab initio data with the previously reported microwave rotational constants for both conformers. The quantities are compared to the corresponding results for some similar molecules.     

On the vibrational spectra and conformational stability of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine from temperature dependent FT-IR spectra of krypton solutions and ab initio calculations

Variable temperature (−105 to −150 °C) studies of the infrared spectra (3500–400 cm⁻¹) of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine, (CH₃)₂NNH₂, in liquid krypton have been carried out. No convincing spectral evidence could be found for the trans conformer which is expected to be at least 600 cm⁻¹ less stable than the gauche form. The structural parameters, dipole moments, conformational stability, vibrational frequencies, and infrared and Raman intensities have been predicted from MP2/6-31G(d) ab initio calculations. The predicted infrared and Raman spectra are compared to the experimental ones. The adjusted r₀ parameters from MP2/6-311+G(d,p) calculations are compared to those reported from an electron diffraction study. The energy differences between the gauche and trans conformers have been obtained from MP2 ab initio calculations as well as from density functional theory by the B3LYP method calculations from a variety of basis sets. All of these calculations indicate an energy difference of 650–900 cm⁻¹ with the B3LYP calculations predicted the larger values. The potential function governing the conformational interchange has been predicting from both types of calculations and comparisons have been made. The barrier to internal rotation by the independent rotor model of the inner methyl group is predicted to have a value of 1812 cm⁻¹ and that of the outer one of 1662 cm⁻¹ from ab initio MP2/6-31G(d) calculations. These values agree well with the experimentally determined values of 1852±16 and 1558±12 cm⁻¹, respectively, from a fit of the torsional transitions with the coupled rotor model. For the coupled rotor model the predicted V′₃₃ (sin 3τ₀ sin 3τ₁ term) value which ranged from 190 to 232 cm⁻¹ is in reasonable agreement with the experimental value of 268±3 cm⁻¹ but the predicted V₃₃ (cos 3τ₀ cos 3τ₁ term) value of −73 to −139 cm⁻¹ is 25% smaller and of the opposite sign of the experimental value of 333±22 cm⁻¹. These theoretical and spectroscopy results are compared to similar quantities of some corresponding molecules.     

Conformational stability of 1-bromo-2-fluoroethane from temperature dependent FT-IR spectra of rare gas solutions

Variable temperature (−55 to −135°C) studies of the infrared spectra (3500–400 cm⁻¹) of 1-bromo-2-fluoroethane, BrCH₂CH₂F, dissolved in liquid krypton and xenon have been recorded. From these data, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 108±9 cm⁻¹ (1.296±0.113 kJ/mol) and 112±8 cm⁻¹ (1.346±0.098 kJ/mol) from the krypton and xenon solutions, respectively, with the trans conformer the more stable rotamer. Complete vibrational assignments are presented for both conformers which are consistent with the predicted frequencies obtained from the ab initio MP2/6-31G^* calculations. The optimized geometries, conformational stabilities, harmonic force fields, infrared intensities, Raman activities, and depolarization ratios have been obtained from RHF/6-31G^* and/or MP2/6-31G^* ab initio calculations. These quantities are compared to the corresponding experimental quantities when appropriate. Structural parameters and conformational stability have also been obtained from MP2/6-311+G^** calculations. Combining the ab initio predicted structural parameters with the microwave rotational constants, r_o parameters have been obtained for the gauche conformer.     

Conformational stabilities of dimethylmethoxyphosphine and dimethyl(methylthio)phosphine from temperature dependent infrared spectra of rare gas solutions

Variable temperature (−55 to −150°C) studies of the infrared spectra (3500 to 400 cm⁻¹) of dimethylmethoxyphosphine, (CH₃)₂POCH₃ and dimethyl(methylthio)phosphine, (CH₃)₂PSCH₃ dissolved in liquid krypton and/or xenon have been recorded. From these data, the enthalpy differences have been determined to be 393±50 cm⁻¹ (4.71±0.60 kJ/mol), for (CH₃)₂POCH₃ with the near-cis conformer the more stable rotamer and 80±10cm⁻¹ (0.96±0.12 kJ/mol) for (CH₃)₂PSCH₃ with the cis conformer the more stable form. Complete vibrational assignments are presented for both molecules, which are consistent with the predicted frequencies obtained from the ab initio MP2/6-31G(d) calculations. The optimized geometries, conformational stabilities, harmonic force fields, infrared intensities, Raman activities, and depolarization ratios have been obtained from RHF/6-31G(d) and/or MP2/6-31G(d) ab initio calculations. These quantities are compared to the corresponding experimental quantities when appropriate as well as with some corresponding results for some similar molecules.     

Infrared and Raman spectra, conformational stability, ab initio calculations of structure, and vibrational assignment of 2-hexyne

The infrared spectra (3500–50 cm⁻¹) of the gas and solid and the Raman spectra (3500–50 cm⁻¹) of the liquid and solid have been recorded for 2-hexyne, CH₃–CC–CH₂CH₂CH₃. Variable temperature studies of the infrared spectrum (3500–400 cm⁻¹) of 2-hexyne dissolved in liquid krypton have also been recorded. Utilizing four anti/gauche conformer pairs, the anti(trans) conformer is found to be the lower energy form with an enthalpy difference of 74±8 cm⁻¹ (0.88±0.10 kJ/mol) determined from krypton solutions over the temperature range −105 to −150 °C. At room temperature it is estimated that there is 42% of the anti conformer present. Equilibrium geometries and energies of the two conformers have been determined by ab initio (HF and MP2) and hybrid DFT (B3LYP) methods using a number of basis sets. Only the HF and DFT methods predict the anti conformer as the more stable form as found experimentally. A vibrational assignment is proposed based on the force constants, relative intensities, depolarization ratios from the ab initio and DFT calculations and on rotational band contours obtained using the calculated equilibrium geometries. From calculated energies it is shown that the CH₃ group exhibits almost completely free rotation which is in agreement with the observation of sub-band structure for the degenerate methyl vibrations from which values of the Coriolis coupling constants, ζ, have been determined. The results are compared to similar properties of some corresponding molecules.     

Infrared, and Raman spectra, conformational stability, normal coordinate analysis, ab initio calculations, and vibrational assignment of 1-chlorosilacyclobutane

The infrared spectra (3500–40 cm⁻¹) of gaseous and solid and the Raman spectra (3500–30 cm⁻¹) of liquid and solid 1-chlorosilacyclobutane, c-C₃H₆SiClH, have been obtained. Both the axial and equatorial conformers with respect to the chlorine atom have been identified in the fluid phases. Variable temperature (−105 to −150°C) studies of the infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquid krypton have been carried out. From these data, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 211±17 cm⁻¹ (2.53±0.21 kJ/mol), with the equatorial conformer being the more stable form and the only conformer remaining in the annealed solid. At ambient temperatures, approximately 26% of the axial conformers are present in the vapor phase. A complete vibrational assignment is proposed for the equatorial conformer, and many of the fundamentals of the axial conformers have also been identified. The vibrational assignments are supported by normal coordinate calculations utilizing ab initio force constants. Complete equilibrium geometries, conformational stabilities, harmonic force fields, infrared intensities, Raman activities, and depolarization ratios have been determined for both rotamers by ab initio calculations employing the 6-31G(d) basis set at the levels of restricted Hartree–Fock (RHF) and/or Moller–Plesset (MP) to second order. Structural parameters have also been obtained using MP2/6-311+G(d,p) ab initio calculations. The r₀ parameters for both conformers are obtained from a combination of the ab initio predicted values and the twelve previously reported microwave rotational constants. The results are discussed and compared to those obtained for some similar molecules.     

Far infrared spectra, conformational equilibria, vibrational assignments, ab initio calculations and structural parameters for 2-bromoethanol

The far infrared spectrum from 370 to 50 cm⁻¹ of gaseous 2-bromoethanol, BrCH₂CH₂OH, was recorded at a resolution of 0.10 cm⁻¹. The fundamental O–H torsion of the more stable gauche (Gg′) conformer, where the capital G refers to internal rotation around the C–C bond and the lower case g to the internal rotation around the C–O bond, was observed as a series of Q-branch transitions beginning at 340 cm⁻¹. The corresponding O–H torsional modes were observed for two of the other high energy conformers, Tg (285 cm⁻¹) and Tt (234 cm⁻¹). The heavy atom asymmetric torsion (rotation around C–C bond) for the Gg′ conformer has been observed at 140 cm⁻¹. Variable temperature (−63 to −100°C) studies of the infrared spectra (4000–400 cm⁻¹) of the sample dissolved in liquid xenon have been recorded. From these data the enthalpy differences have been determined to be 411±40 cm⁻¹ (4.92±0.48 kJ/mol) for the Gg′/Tt and 315±40 cm⁻¹ (3.76±0.48 kJ/mol) for the Gg′/Tg, with the Gg′ conformer the most stable form. Additionally, the infrared spectrum of the gas, and Raman spectrum of the liquid phase are reported. The structural parameters, conformational stabilities, barriers to internal rotation and fundamental frequencies have been obtained from ab initio calculations utilizing different basis sets at the restricted Hartree–Fock or with full electron correlation by the perturbation method to second order. The theoretical results are compared to the experimental results when appropriate. Combining the ab initio calculations with the microwave rotational constants, r₀ adjusted parameters have been obtained for the three 2-haloethanols (F, Cl and Br) for the Gg′ conformers.     

Conformational studies of cyclopropylmethyl isocyanate from temperature dependent FT-IR spectra of xenon solutions and ab initio calculations

Variable temperature (−55 to −100 °C) studies of the infrared spectra (3200 to 100 cm⁻¹) of cyclopropylmethyl isocyanate, c-C₃H₅CH₂NCO, dissolved in liquefied xenon, have been carried out. The infrared spectra (gas and solid) as well as the Raman spectrum of the liquid have been recorded from 3200 to 100 cm⁻¹. By analyzing six conformer pairs in xenon solutions, an enthalpy difference of 193 ± 19 cm⁻¹ (2.31 ± 0.23 kJ/mol) was obtained with the gauche–cis rotamer (the first designation indicates the orientation of the CNCO group with respect to the three-membered ring, the second designation indicates the relative orientation of the NCO group with respect to the bridging CC bond) the more stable form and the only form present in polycrystalline solid. The abundance of the cis–trans conformer present at ambient temperature is 16 ± 1%. The potential function governing the conformational interchange has been obtained from B3LYP/6-31G(d) calculations and the two-dimensional potential has been obtained. From MP2 ab initio calculations utilizing various basis sets with diffuse functions, the gauche–cis conformer is predicted to be more stable by 223 to 269 cm⁻¹, which is consistent with the experimental results. However, without diffuse functions the predicted conformational energy differences are much smaller (77–166 cm⁻¹). Similar diffuse function dependency affects density functional theory calculations by the B3LYP method to a lesser extent. A complete vibrational assignment for the gauche–cis conformer is proposed and several fundamentals for the cis–trans conformer have been identified. The structural parameters, dipole moments, conformational stability, vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities and Raman activities have been predicted from ab initio calculations and r₀ structural parameters are estimated. These experimental and theoretical results are compared to the corresponding quantities of some similar molecules.     

Conformational and structural studies of 1-fluorosilacyclobutane from temperature dependent FT-IR spectra of krypton solutions and ab initio calculations

The infrared spectra (3500 to 40 cm⁻¹) of gaseous and solid and the Raman spectra (3500 to 30 cm⁻¹) of liquid and solid 1-fluorosilacyclobutane, c-C₃H₆SiFH, have been obtained. Both the axial and equatorial conformers with respect to the fluorine atom have been identified in the fluid phases. Variable temperature (−105 to −150 °C) studies of the infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquid krypton have been carried out. From these data, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 282 ± 27 cm⁻¹ (3.37 ± 0.32 kJ/mol), with the equatorial conformer the more stable form and the only conformer remaining in the annealed solid. At ambient temperature there is approximately 21 ± 2% of the axial conformer present in the vapor phase. From isolated Si–H stretching frequencies the Si–H (r₀) distances are calculated to be 1.484 and 1.485 Å for the equatorial and axial conformers, respectively. Structural parameters have been predicted from MP2/6-311 + G(d,p) ab initio calculations and the adjusted r₀ parameters for both conformers were obtained from a combination of the ab initio predicted values and the six previously reported microwave rotational constants. Along with the Si–H bond distance, the Si–C, and C–C distances of 1.865(5), and 1.571(5) Å, respectively, for the equatorial conformer are significantly different from the values for these parameters previously reported from an election diffraction study. Both the SiC and CC distances and the SiF distance are longer by 0.002 and 0.004 Å, respectively, for the axial conformer. Structural parameters have also been obtained for silacyclobutane, c-C₃H₆SiH₂ and ethylsilylfluoride, CH₃CH₂SiH₂F, from combined ab initio predicted values and previously reported rotational constants. Several of these newly determined parameters are significantly different from those previously reported for both molecules. Complete equilibrium geometries, conformational stabilities, harmonic force fields, infrared intensities, Raman activities, and depolarization ratios have been determined for both rotamers by ab initio calculations employing the 6-31G(d) basis set at the level of Moller–Plesset (MP) to second order. A complete vibrational assignment supported by normal coordinate calculations is proposed for the equatorial conformer, and several of the fundamentals of the axial conformer have also been identified. The results are discussed and compared to corresponding quantities for some similar molecules.     

Vibrational spectra, conformations, ab initio calculations and vibrational assignments of 3-pentyn-2-ol

The infrared spectra of 3-pentyn-2-ol, CH₃CCCH(OH)CH₃, have been recorded as a vapour and liquid at ambient temperature, as a solid at 78 K in the 4000–50 cm⁻¹ range and isolated in an argon matrix at ca. 5 K. Infrared spectra of the solid phase at 78 K were obtained before and after annealing to temperatures of 120 and 130 K. The IR spectra of the solid were quite similar to that of the liquid.

Raman spectra of the liquid were recorded at room temperature and at various temperatures between 295 and 153 K. Spectra of an amorphous and annealed solid were recorded at 78 K. In the variable temperature Raman spectra, some bands changed in relative intensity and were interpreted in terms of conformational equilibria between the three possible conformers. Complete assignments were made for all the bands of the most stable conformer in which OH is oriented anti to C₁(a_Me). From various bands assigned to a second conformer in which OH is oriented anti to H_gem(a_H), the conformational enthalpy differences was found to be between 0.4 and 0.8 kJ mol⁻¹. The highest energy conformer with OH anti to C₃(a_C) was not detected.

Quantum-chemical calculations have been carried out at the MP2 and B3LYP levels with a variety of basis sets. Except for small basis set calculations for which the a_H conformer had slightly lower energy, all the calculations revealed that a_Me was the low energy conformer. The B3LYP/cc-pVTZ calculations suggested the a_Me conformer as more stable by 0.8 and 8.3 kJ mol⁻¹ relative to a_H an a_C, respectively. Vibrational wavenumbers and infrared and Raman band intensities for two of the three conformers are reported from B3LYP/cc-pVTZ calculations.     

Structure and conformational properties of carbonylbisimidosulfuryl fluoride, O=C(N=S(O)F2)2

The molecular structure and conformational properties of O=C(N=S(O)F₂)₂ (carbonylbisimidosulfuryl fluoride) were determined by gas electron diffraction (GED) and quantumchemical calculations (HF/3-21G* and B3LYP/6-31G*). The analysis of the GED intensities resulted in a mixture of 76(12)% syn–syn and 24(12)% syn–anti conformer (ΔH⁰=H⁰(syn–anti)−H⁰(syn–syn)=1.11(32) kcal mol⁻¹) which is in agreement with the interpretation of the IR spectra (68(5)% syn–syn and 32(5)% syn–anti, ΔH⁰=0.87(11) kcal mol⁻¹). syn and anti describe the orientation of the S=N bonds relative to the C=O bond. In both conformers the S=O bonds of the two N=S(O)F₂ groups are trans to the C–N bonds. According to the theoretical calculations, structures with cis orientation of an S=O bond with respect to a C–N bond do not correspond to minima on the energy hyperface. The HF/3-21G* approximation predicts preference of the syn–anti structure (ΔE=−0.11 kcal mol⁻¹) and the B3LYP/6-31G* method results in an energy difference (ΔE=1.85 kcal mol⁻¹) which is slightly larger than the experimental values. The following geometric parameters for the O=C(N=S)₂ skeleton were derived (r_a values with 3σ uncertainties): C=O 1.193 (9) Å, C–N 1.365 (9) Å, S=N 1.466 (5) Å, O=C–N 125.1 (6)° and C–N=S 125.3 (10)°. The geometric parameters are reproduced satisfactorily by the HF/3-21G* approximation, except for the C–N=S angle which is too large by ca. 6°. The B3LYP method predicts all bonds to be too long by 0.02–0.05 Å and the C–N=S angle to be too small by ca. 4°.     

An infrared study of CD3CN in isopropanol, dimethyl formamide, and dimethyl sulfoxide

The vibrational characteristics of deuterated acetonitrile dissolved in isopropanol, dimethyl formamide (DMF), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) have been studied. Observed vibrational bands show substantial frequency shifts, the amounts of which vary almost linearly with concentration. The absorption feature in the region of 2220–2280 cm⁻¹ was deconvoluted to the consisting absorption bands. The band at 2258 cm⁻¹ of pure CD₃CN, which is on the low frequency side of the monomer CN stretch (ν₂), is attributed to the CN stretch of the dimer (ν′₂). The shoulder found on the further low frequency side of the ν₂ band, particularly in dilute solution, is believed to be due to ν₅, and its frequency and intensity vary largely as a function of concentration along with those of other vibrational bands involved with the CD₃ group. The ν₅ band of pure CD₃CN is believed to be active and located at about 2251 cm⁻¹. Ab initio calculations have also been performed for the solute–solvent complexes, CD₃CN–DMF and CD₃CN–DMSO, at the MP2/6-31+G(2d,p) level assuming anti-parallel configurations. The calculated results show a good agreement with the observed results.     

Infrared matrix isolation studies of complexes formed between dimethylsulfide, dimethyldisulfide and nitrous acid

The complexes formed by dimethylsulphide (DMS) and dimethyldisulphide (DMDS) with two isomers of nitrous acid have been observed, and characterised in argon and nitrogen matrices. The ν₁ OH stretching vibration of the perturbed trans-HONO monomer is 425 and 294 cm⁻¹ red shifted, respectively, for the DMS and DMDS complex in solid argon, and 441 and 301 cm⁻¹ in solid nitrogen. A large blue shift is also observed for the ν₃ NOH in-plane deformation mode: 101 and 80 cm⁻¹ for DMS–HONO-trans in argon and nitrogen matrices and 46 cm⁻¹ for DMDS–HONO-trans in nitrogen matrix. The results indicate formation of strong hydrogen bonds in the studied DMS–HONO and DMDS–HONO systems. The origin of the complicated shape of the ν₁ OH absorption is discussed. Similarities and differences between argon and nitrogen matrices are considered.     

Syntheses, crystal structures and electronic properties of a series of copper(II) complexes with 3,5-halogen-substituted Schiff base ligands and their solutions

We have systematically investigated the structural features, electronic properties, thermally-induced structural phase transitions and absorption spectra depending on the solvent for ten Cu(II) complexes with 3,5-halogen-substituted Schiff base ligands. Structural characterization of two new complexes, bis(N-R-1-phenylethyl- and N-R,S-2-butyl-5-bromosalicydenaminato-κ²N,O)copper(II), reveals that they afford a compressed tetrahedral trans-[CuN₂O₂] coordination geometry with trans-N–Cu–N = 159.4(2)° and trans-O–Cu–O = 151.7(3)° for the 1-phenylethyl complex and trans-N–Cu–N = 157.9(3)° and trans-O–Cu–O = 151.0(3)° for the 2-butyl one. All the complexes exhibit a structural phase transition by heating in the solid state regardless of their structures at room temperature. The absorption spectra of a series of ten complexes exhibit a slight shift of the d–d band at 16 000–20 000 cm⁻¹ and remarkable shift of the π–π* band at 24 000–28 000 cm⁻¹, which suggests that the dipole moment of the solvents presumably affects the conformation of the π-conjugated moieties of the ligands rather than the coordination environment. We have also attempted ‘photochromic solute-induced solvatochromism’ by a system of bis(N-R-1-phenylethyl-3,5-dichlorosalicydenaminato-κ²N,O)copper(II) and photochromic 4-hydroxyazobenzene in chloroform solution. We successfully observed a change of the d–d and π–π* bands of the complex in the absorption spectra caused by cis–trans photoisomerization of 4-hydroxyazobenzene.     

An ab initio potential energy surface for the υ4 vibrational mode of hydrogen peroxide

In this paper, the levels and the torsional microstates of hydrogen peroxide are determined from fully optimized ab initio calculations using a nuclear model in one dimension. Calculations have been performed at the MP2 level with the 6-311 G(2df,2pd), 6-31 1+G(2df,2pd), cc-pVTZ and AUG-cc-pVTZ basis sets including polarization orbitals and diffuse functions. The most stable conformation, calculated with the MP2/AUG-cc-pVTZ approach, is a trans–gauche conformer lying at 67.5° from the trans structure. By using the same level of calculations, the heights of the trans and cis barriers have been determined to be 386.5 and 2643.8 cm⁻¹ in a good agreement with the experimental data. The variational torsional levels split into four components by the tunnelling effect of the barriers. The splitting of the fundamental level caused by the trans barrier has been found to be 11.8683 cm⁻¹, whereas the splitting caused by the cis barrier is insignificant under n=2. Current ab initio energies confirm the experimental assignments and verify the separability of the torsion from the rest of the vibrations. However, the experimental relation of dependence on the torsion of the rotational constants cannot be reproduced in one-dimension and depends on several additional vibrational effects.     

Molecular structure and conformational stability of allylisocyanate—post-Hartree–Fock and density functional theory studies

The molecular structure and conformational stability of allylisocyanate (CH₂CHCH₂NCO) molecule was studied using the ab initio and DFT methods. The geometries of possible conformers, C-gauche (δ=120°, θ=0°) (δ=C=C–C–N and θ=C–C–N=C) and C-cis N-trans (δ=0° and θ=180°) were optimized employing HF/6-31G^*, MP2/6-31G^* levels of theory of ab initio and BLYP, B3LYP, BPW91 and B3PW91 methods of DFT implementing the atomic basis set 6-311+G(d,p). The structural and physical parameters of the above conformers were discussed with the experimental and theoretical values of the related molecules, methylisocyanate and 3-fluoropropene. It has been found that the N=C=O bond angle is not linear as the experimental result for both the conformers and the theoretical bond angle is 173°. The rotational potential energy surfaces have been performed at the HF/6-31G^*, and MP2/6-31G^* levels of theory. The Fourier decomposition potentials were analysed at the HF/6-31G^*, and MP2/6-31G^* levels of theory. The HF/6-31G^* level of theory predicted that the C-gauche conformer is more stable than the C-cis N-trans conformer by 0.41 kJ/mol, but the MP2 and DFT methods predicted the C-cis N-trans conformer is found to be more stable than the C-gauche conformer. The calculated chemical hardness value at the HF/6-31G^* level of theory predicted the C-cis N-trans form is more stable than C-gauche form, whereas the chemical hardness value at the MP2/6-31G^* level of theory favours the slight preference towards the C-gauge conformer.     

The conformations of 1,2-acenaphthene derivatives and steric interaction of contiguous nitroxy groups

Inter-oxygen distances and conformational flexibility were estimated for cis- and trans-1,2-acenaphthenediol from X-ray data, intramolecular hydrogen bonding, the kinetics of glycol cleavage, and cyclization experiments. The optical and NMR spectra of the isomeric dinitrate esters and related compounds in solution showed significant differences. The symmetric and anti-symmetric stretching bands of the nitroxy group occurred at 1276 ± 2 cm⁻¹ and 1639 ± 7 cm⁻¹ respectively in the trans-dinitrate and in ethyl and benzyl nitrates and were shifted to higher frequencies by 9 cm⁻¹ and 16 cm⁻¹ respectively in the cis-dinitrate. The analogy to similar effects observed in cyclic 1,2-diketones, -haloketones, and o-halonitrobenzenes suggested intramolecular interaction of the contiguous nitroxy groups.

The reaction of the dinitrates with pyridine at 25° was pseudo first-order and the ratio k_trans/k_cis of 6·5 was consistent with an E_CO mechanism involving nitroxy group interaction in the cis isomer.