The millimeter wave rotational spectrum of N-cyanomethanimine,CH2NCN

The rotational spectrum of the short-lived species N-cyanomethanimine, CH₂NCN, has been measured in the frequency range 100–250 GHz. The observed transitions allow the determination of the rotational and centrifugal distortion constants and the nitrogen quadrupole coupling constants for both nitrogen nuclei. The N-cyanomethanimine spectrum was measured directly in the products of the pyrolysis of trimethylenetetrazole. The rotational constants obtained are A = 63 372.995(11) MHz, B = 5 449.347 90(28) MHz, and C = 5 009.559 86(29) MHz; the quadrupole coupling constants are χ_aa = 2.057(39) MHz and χ_bb ? χ_cc = ?7.205(21) MHz for the imine nitrogen, and χ_aa = ?3.264(33) MHz and χ_bb ? χ_cc = ?1.630(18) MHz for the cyano-group nitrogen. The accurate constants obtained allow the calculation of the line position and hyperfine structure of any rotational transition appropriate for a radioastronomical search.