The microwave spectrum of germyl isocyanate,a quasi-symmetric top

The microwave spectrum of germyl isocyanate in the K, P, and R bands (12.4–40.0 GHz) has been investigated using natural isotopic samples and samples containing specific germanium isotopes, mass numbers 72 and 74, and samples containing GeD₃ groups. The very complex spectrum is analyzed as that of a quasi-symmetric top, in which the skeletal bending motion has an energy maximum at the linear configuration; the height of the maximum is some 339 cm⁻¹. Many vibrational states of the two-dimensional bend lie close in energy, resulting in strong interactions between rotational levels of different vibrational states. The program used for the analysis has been used previously to account for similar spectra of methyl and silyl isocyanates and methyl isothiocyanate; the behavior of the germyl compound is more like that of the methyl isocyanate than that of the silyl compound, where the height of the maximum is much less. Although we did not include centrifugal distortion operators in the Hamiltonian the program successfully predicts k = 0 line positions in J + 1 ← J bunches with J up to 9, using only lines in the J = 3 bunch to define the parameters of the model, which include the height of the hump, the bend angle of the skeleton at the energy minimum (142.18(5)°), the force constant for the bending motion at the minimum (0.1094(7) mdyn Å), and the GeN bondlength at equilibrium (1.8257(5) Å). The threefold barrier to internal rotation of the GeH₃ group at the equilibrium position is about 3 cm⁻¹, much lower than the value found for methyl isocyanate. The fit to the observations, about 100 lines in the 4 ← 3 bunch, is improved by allowing for a variation in the GeN bondlength as the bend angle changes. The quality of the least-squares fit corresponds to an estimated standard deviation for an observation of about 2 MHz, but not all observed lines can be accounted for precisely, showing that additional interactions are involved that are not yet included in the model.     

The millimeter-wave spectra of germyl fluoride in excited vibrational states

Millimeter-wave spectra of GeH₃F in the v₃ = 1, v₆ = 1, v₂ = 1, and v₅ = 1 excited states have been recorded. Strong Coriolis resonance between the v₂ = 1 and v₅ = 1 states results in a highly perturbed spectrum which shows no obvious resemblance to the normal symmetric top excited state pattern. A similar, but not so strong coupling, exists between the v₃ = 1 and v₆ = 1 states. These spectra are analyzed by setting up the Coriolis coupled Hamiltonian matrices for these states. It has been shown that the apparently anomalous distortion constants of these states are due to the Coriolis coupling and the distortion parameters obtained with the model presented are, as expected, close to the ground state values.     

The microwave spectrum,structure, and dipole moment of propiolyl fluoride

The microwave spectrum of propiolyl fluoride has been observed in the frequency region 12.5–40 GHz. Rotational transitions have been assigned for the ground and two excited vibrational states of the normal isotopic species and for the ground vibrational state of the deuterated species. In each case, values for the rotational constants and centrifugal distortion constants have been obtained. The molecule has been shown to be planar and structural calculations suggest no anomalies in any of the internuclear parameters. Stark effect measurements have yielded a value of 2.98 ± 0.02 Debyes for the dipole moment.     

The microwave spectrum and structure of chloryl fluoride

The microwave spectra of three isotopic species of chloryl fluoride, FClO₂, in its ground vibrational state, have been measured in the frequency region 8–37 GHz. The spectra have yielded values for the rotational constants, centrifugal distortion constants, and chlorine nuclear quadrupole coupling constants, as well as the molecular dipole moment, 1.722 ± 0.03 D. The molecule has been shown to have C_s symmetry, and a pyramidal configuration, with the chlorine atom at the apex of the pyramid. The following internuclear parameters were obtained:r(Cl?F)1.697±0.003 A r(Cl?F)=1.418±0.002AThe structural parameters, quadrupole coupling constants, dipole moment and force field are explained in terms of a bonding scheme in which a fluorine 2p atomic orbital overlaps with the highest occupied orbital of ClO₂; there is considerable evidence for withdrawal of electron density from this singly occupied antibonding orbital of ClO₂ toward the fluorine atom.     

The microwave spectrum and structure of carbonyl fluoride

The ground state microwave rotational spectra of four isotopic species of carbonyl fluoride have been measured between 18 GHz and 77 GHz, and analyzed to obtain the quartic and some sextic centrifugal constants. The rotational constants have been used to obtain a r₀ structure and, using a harmonic force field, a r_z structure is also obtained: r_z(C---F) = 1.3166 (10) Å, r_z(C---O) = 1.1700 (26) Å.These values are considerably more precise than those of the previously estimated average structure.     

The millimeter wave spectrum of tertiary butyl fluoride

Rotational spectra of tertiary butyl fluoride (TBF) in the ground and excited vibrational states have been recorded and analyzed. The excited state spectra show large splittings due to l resonance and the effect of the 2, -1 term r_t. Coriolis constants have been obtained for the three lowest degenerate states. An accidental resonance enabled the determination of the axial rotational constant of TBF.     

The microwave spectrum and centrifugal distortion constants of vinyl fluoride

The rotational spectrum of vinyl fluoride up to J = 40 has been assigned and measured in the frequency region 8–37 GHz. Both a- and b-type transitions were observed. These measurements have been combined with those made in other frequency regions to calculate refined rotational constants and to obtain all quartic and some sextic centrifugal distortion constants. A comparison is made between the quartic centrifugal distortion constants measured here and those calculated from vibrational data.     

Experimental,semi-experimental and ab initio equilibrium structures

The determination of equilibrium structures of molecules by spectroscopic methods or by quantum mechanical calculations is reviewed. The following structures are described in detail: experimental equilibrium structures, empirical structures, semi-experimental structures and ab initio structures. The approximations made by the different methods are discussed and their accuracies are compared.     

Determination of the moment of inertia of methyl groups: Analysis of the millimeterwave spectra of cis-propanal and methylthioethyne

The ground state rotational spectra of methylthioethyne and cis-propanal have been investigated. An overall fit of the measurements using the Internal Axis Method has allowed us to accurately determine the internal rotation parameters. The moments of inertia of methyl groups obtained from an internal rotation analysis are reviewed. They are compared to the values calculated using two empirical correlations found by McKean: between the isolated stretching frequencies and the corresponding CH bond lengths or the HCH angles.     

Near-infrared Fourier-transform and millimeterwave spectra of the BiS radical

This paper reports the 6400-7400 cm⁻¹ Fourier-transform (FT) near-infrared (NIR) emission spectrum of the BiS X₂²Π_3/2 → X₁²Π_1/2 fine structure bands as well as the millimeterwave rotational spectrum of the X₁²Π_1/2 state. For the FTNIR observations, BiS was produced by reaction of bismuth with sulfur vapor and excited by energy transfer from metastable oxygen, O₂(a¹Δ_g), in a fast-flow system. As was the case for BiO [O. Shestakov, R. Breidohr, H. Demes, K.D. Setzer, E.H. Fink, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 190 (1998) 28-77], the 0.5 cm⁻¹resolution spectrum revealed a number of strong bands in the Δv = 0 and ±1 sequences which showed perturbed band spacings, band shapes, and intensities due to avoided crossing of the X₂²Π_3/2 and A₁⁴Π_3/2 potential curves for v^′ ? 4 of X₂²Π_3/2. The millimeterwave rotational spectrum of BiS in its X₁²Π_1/2 state was observed when BiS was produced in a high-temperature oven by a discharge in a mixture of Bi vapor and CS₂. The signal to noise ratio was markedly improved by using a White-type multipath cell. Ninety seven features from J′ = 23.5 to J′ = 41.5 were measured between 150 and 300 GHz. Analysis of the 0.5 cm⁻¹ resolution FT spectrum yielded the fine structure splitting and vibrational constants of the states. A simultaneous analysis of millimeterwave and a 0.005 cm⁻¹ FT spectrum of the 0-0 band of the NIR system was carried out to give precise rotational, fine, and hyperfine constants for the X₁²Π_1/2 and X₂²Π_3/2 states. The results are consistent with those reported earlier for BiO and indicate only a slight decrease in the unpaired electron density in the 6p(π^∗) orbital on the Bi atom.     

Further study of the microwave spectrum of chlorine lsocyanate: The substitution structure and nuclear quadrupole coupling

The microwave spectra of three further isotopic species of chlorine isocyanate (³⁵Cl¹⁵N¹²C¹⁶O, ³⁷Cl¹⁵N¹²C¹⁶O, ³⁵Cl¹⁴N¹³C¹⁶O) have been measured. From them we have obtained rotational constants, centrifugal distortion constants, and nuclear quadrupole coupling constants. The data are combined with earlier data (1) to confirm the planarity of the molecule, and to give a full substitution structure as follows: $\text{r}\text{(ClN) = 1.705 ± 0.005}\text{A}\text{?}$; $\text{r}\text{(NC) = 1.226 ± 0.005}\text{A}\text{?}$; $\text{r}\text{(CO) = 1.162 ± 0.005}\text{A}\text{?}$; < (ClNC) = 118°50′ ± 30′; < (NCO) = 170°52′ ± 30′, with Cl and O trans. We have also calculated the chlorine and nitrogen quadrupole coupling constants using the SCF-MO-CNDO method, and have obtained good agreement with the measured values. Evidence for in-plane π-bonding at nitrogen has been obtained.     

Microwave spectrum and substitution structure of methylene chloride

The microwave spectrum of methylene chloride has been reinvestigated in order to obtain a complete substitution (r_s) structure of well-defined precision. Measurements on the ¹³CH₂Cl₂ species have yielded the following rigid-rotor rotational constants: A = 30746.20 ± 0.10 MHz, B = 3320.63 ± 0.11 MHz, and C = 3053.44 ± 0.10 MHz. These data, combined with revised values reported earlier for other isotopic species, yields the following r_s structural parameters: CCl = 1.767 ± 0.002 Å, CH = 1.085 ± 0.002 Å, ∠HCH = 112.1 ± 0.2°, and ∠ClCCl = 112.2 ± 0.1°.     

Rotational spectrum of silyl chloride: hyperfine structure and equilibrium geometry

The Lamb-dip technique was employed to record the rotational spectra of two isotopic species of silyl chloride, namely ²⁸SiH₃Cl and ²⁹SiH₃Cl, in order to investigate their hyperfine structure. High-accuracy quantum-chemical computations were employed to predict the hyperfine parameters involved and to support the experimental investigation. Analysis of the experimental spectra led to an improvement in the accuracy of the known spectroscopic constants as well as allowed us to determine additional spectroscopic parameters for the first time. Furthermore, the equilibrium structure of silyl chloride was reinvestigated using both theoretical and experimental data. The best theoretical and semi-experimental geometries were found to agree within their stated accuracy, leading to the following recommended structure: r(Cl–Si)?=?2.046(1)Å, r(Si–H)?=?1.469(1)Å, and ∠ClSiH?=?108.43(1)^○.     

Semiexperimental equilibrium molecular structures of the maleimide and phthalimide

ABSTRACT

Semiexperimental (SE) equilibrium molecular structures of the title compounds are determined using rotational and ab initio data. Cubic force constants for the parent molecules and a number of isotopologues are calculated at the B2PLYP double hybrid functional with the correlation-consistent triple-ζ cc-pVTZ basis set. Rovibrational and electronic corrections necessary for the transformation of observed ground-state rotational constants to equilibrium ones are calculated using cubic force constants and rotational g tensors. The SE structure parameters are compared with those obtained with CCSD(T) method and basis set of quadruple-ζ quality.

Abbreviations: MP2: Møller–Plesset perturbation theory; CCSD(T): coupled-cluster theory including single and double excitations augmented by a perturbational estimate of the effects of connected triple excitations; VnZ: cc-pVnZ, Dunning's correlation-consistent basis, where n?=?T or Q; CVnZ: cc-pCVnZ, Dunning's correlation-consistent basis, where n?=?T or Q; wCVnZ: cc-pwCVnZ, Dunning's correlation-consistent basis, where n?=?T or Q; AwCVQZ: aug-cc-pwCVQZ, Dunning's correlation-consistent basis; AE: all-electrons; FC: frozen core; QM: quantum mechanics; MAD: mean absolute deviation; SE: semiexperimental equilibrium structure; BO: best ab initio Born–Oppenheimer composite structure; HOMA: harmonic oscillator model of aromaticity; ICSS: iso-chemical shielding surface (isosurface of magnetic shielding value or isosurface of NICS with inverted sign); ICSSZZ: component of magnetic shielding tensor perpendicular to molecular plane; NICS: nuclear independent chemical shift; AIM: atoms in molecules method; ACID: anisotropy of current induced density     

Accurate equilibrium structures for small polyatomic molecules,radicals and carbenes

The paper reports on recent efforts to establish accurate equilibrium structures for small polyatomic molecules, radicals and carbenes most of which are of relevance to interstellar cloud chemistry, combustion processes or atmospheric chemistry. Among these are the well–known interstellar cyanopolyynes HC₃N and HC₅N, members of the series NC_{2 n} N, HC_{2 n ?+?1}P and NC_{2 n} P, linear silicon carbides of type SiC_{2 n} and pure carbon chains up to C₁₄, the radicals HC₃O, HOCO and CH₂CHO as well as cumulene carbenes of type H₂C _n . Whenever possible, a mixed experimental/theoretical procedure is employed which makes use of accurate experimental values for the ground–state rotational constants of a sufficiently large number of different isotopomers plus the results of coupled cluster calculations (variant CCSD(T)). In less favourable cases, the transfer of well–established correction parameters as developed from related smaller molecules appears to be the method of choice.     

The estimation of equilibrium molecular structures from zero-point rotational constants

The approximate equation I_e = 2I₈ - I₀, where I_e, I₈, and I₀ are, respectively, the equilibrium, substitution and zero-point moments of inertia of a molecule, can be derived from a first order treatment of isotope effects, and is valid for linear, symmetric or asymmetric tops. By means of this equation it is possible to estimate the equilibrium structure of a molecule from the zero-point rotational constants of several isotopes. The advantage of this “mass-dependence” (r_m) method over the conventional r_e method is that it is insensitive to the perturbations and resonances that frequently affect excited vibrational states. The main disadvantages are that a large number of isotopic molecules may be necessary and that the above equation is not sufficiently accurate for hydrogen-deuterium isotope effects.A detailed comparison between r_m and r_e of CO shows that the slight difference of about 2 × 10^?4Å between the two bond lengths is due mainly to the difference in the contributions of the electrons. The r_m method has also been applied to the triatomic molecules N₂O, OCS, SO₂ and HCN. For N₂O and SO₂ the results are in excellent agreement with the most recent r_e structures. For OCS there is a significant difference between the r_m structure and the present r_e structure. This difference is as yet unexplained. The poor results for HCN confirm the general expectation that the r_m method cannot be applied to hydrides without further modification.     

The high-resolution infrared spectrum of the 201 band of carbonyl fluoride: Determination of the far infrared laser frequencies

The first high-resolution (0.0024 cm^?1) spectrum of the 2₀¹ band of COF₂ at 963 cm^?1 is reported. Nearly 4000 rotational transitions have been observed and assigned in the band between 936 and 990 cm^?1. The line positions are estimated to be accurate to 0.0001 cm^?1 (relative). The spectrum was calibrated using two adjacent bands of OCS. Approximately 1560 infrared transitions have been fitted simultaneously with the previously reported microwave data. The wave numbers of far infrared laser lines recently observed by Tobin and by Temps and Wagner have been calculated from the 2¹ energy levels, with estimated uncertainties of between 10^?5 and 10^?6 cm^?1.     

The microwave spectrum,substitution structure,internal rotation barrier,and dipole moment of thioacetaldehyde,CH3CHS

The microwave rotational spectrum of the unstable species thioacetaldehyde, CH₃CHS, has been studied in a flow pyrolysis system. Eight isotopic variants have been studied allowing an accurate substitution structure to be derived. Most of the spectral lines show splittings due to internal rotation, analysis of which has allowed a barrier study to be made. For the torsional ground state of the most abundant species, V₃ = 1572 ± 30 cal/mole or 375.7 ± 7 J/mole. The dipole moment is μ = 2.33 ± 0.02 D with components μ_A = 2.26 ± 0.02 and μ_B = 0.56 ± 0.01 D.