Determination of molecular constants of scandium triiodide monomer and dimer from electron diffraction data

The molecular intensity function of a ScI₃+SC₂I₆ mixture is solved using gas-phase electron diffractometry and taking into account the theoretical values of l(Sc-I). The symmetry of geometrical configuration, the internuclear distances, and vibration frequencies of the scandium triiodide monomer and dimer are determined. Translated fromZhurnal Struktumoi Khimii, Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 489–494, May–June, 1997.     

Refinement of molecular constants of neodymium triiodide by electron diffraction

The molecular structure of neodymium triiodide has been studied by electron diffraction. The molecule has D_3h symmetry; the equilibrium intemuclear distance is R_e(Nd-I) = 286.6(5) pm. The deformation frequencies are estimated from the experimental mean square vibration amplitudes and stretching frequencies. Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 41, No. 4, pp. 725-729, July-August, 2000     

Refinement of molecular constants of neodymium triiodide by electron diffraction

The molecular structure of neodymium triiodide has been studied by electron diffraction. The molecule has D_3h symmetry; the equilibrium intemuclear distance is R_e(Nd-I) = 286.6(5) pm. The deformation frequencies are estimated from the experimental mean square vibration amplitudes and stretching frequencies. Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 41, No. 4, pp. 725-729, July-August, 2000     

The molecular structure of pyrazine as determined from gas-phase electron diffraction data

The structure of pyrazine (1,4 diazabenzene, C₄H₄N₄) has been determined at 333 K by means of gas-phase electron diffraction. The r_g parameters are as follows: r(C-C) = 1.339 ± 0.002 Å. r(C-N) = 1.403 ± 0.004 Å, r(C-H) = 1.115 ± 0.004 Å. ∠C-C-N = 115.6 ± 0.4°, and ∠C-C-H = 123.9 ± 0.6° (error limits are 2.5σ). At a 10% level the r_α structure does not differ significantly from the structure in the solid state, so long as high order X-ray, results corrected for librational motion are used; otherwise significantly different results are found even at the 1% level. Calculated and observed mean square amplitudes compare favourably.     

Equilibrium molecular structure of orotic acid from gas-phase electron diffraction data and quantum-chemical calculations

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The molecular structure of trifluoroethene in the gas-phase as determined from electron diffraction and microwave data

The molecular structure of trifluoroethene was determined from electron diffraction data and the microwave rotational constants of the parent and deuterated molecule, corrected for zero-point vibrational motion. A GVFF adjusted to fit the vibrational frequencies was used for the correction. The molecule was found to be planar. Assuming equal geminal C1—F bond lengths, the following r_g distances and r_av angles are found: C1—F = 1.316 ± 0.011 Å, C2—F = 1.342 ± 0.024 Å, CC = 1.341 ± 0.012 Å, C—H = 1.100 ± 0.02 Å, ∠C—C—F1 = 123.1 ± 1.5°. ∠C—C—F2 = 124.0 ± 0.6°, ∠C—C—F3 = 120 ± 0.7° (Fl trans to F3) and ∠C—C—H = 124.0 ± 1.7°.The error limits include 3σ (σ = estimated standard deviation) and estimates of the systematic errors. The analysis suggests that all the C1—F distances are not equivalent, neither are the C2—C1—F angles, though the differences are not significant (10% level).     

The gas-phase molecular structure of 1-fluorosilatrane from electron diffraction

The molecular geometry of 1-fluorosilatrane has been determined by gas-phase electron diffraction. The distance between the nitrogen and silicon atoms is much longer in the gas phase, viz., 2.324±0.014 Å, than in the crystal, 2.042 (1) Å [5]. This indicates a weakened donor-acceptor interaction possibly as a consequence of the absence of intermolecular interactions in the gas phase. The five-membered rings take envelope conformations with the carbon atoms adjacent to nitrogen at the envelope tips. The following bond distances ( _g , Å) and bond angles (°) were obtained with their estimated total errors: N-C, 1.481±0.008; C-C, 1.514±0.011; O-C, 1.392±0.004; Si-O, 1.652±0.003; Si-F, 1.568±0.006; C-H, 1.118±0.005; N-C-C, 104.5±0.6; C-C-O, 117.0±0.7;C-O-Si, 123.7±0.6; O-Si-F, 98.7±0.3; O-Si-O, 117.8±0.1; C-N-C, 115.0±0.3.     

The molecular geometry of a heptacyclotetradecane from gas-phase electron diffraction

Electron diffraction established firmly the structure of a heptacyclo [6.6.0.0^2,6.0^3,13.0^4,11.0^5,9.0^10,14] tetradecane molecule in which two norbornane units are rotated 90° relative to each other and linked by four methine bridges. The longest bond is the ethano bridge (1.586 ± 0.004 Å, r_g) and the methine bridge is considerably shorter (1.528 ± 0.006 Å r_g) than the mean CC bond length of the norbornane unit (1.557 Å). The molecular structure is generally consistent with the geometry of its crystalline di-tert-butoxy derivative as well as with that of gaseous norbornane.     

The molecular structure of cyclohexanone determined by gas-phase electron diffraction,including microwave data

The electron diffraction data for gaseous cyclohexanone, collected at 371 K, combined with microwave rotational constants, can be explained by a single chair conformation. Least-squares analysis of the observed data led to an r_g, r_α-structure with the following geometrical parameters: r_CO = 1.229 Å, r_C1C2 = 1.503 Å, r_C1C2 = 1.542 Å, r_C3C4 = 1.545 Å, r_CH = 1.088 Å, ∠ C-CO-C = 115.3°, ∠ CO-C-C = 111.5°, ∠ C-C-C = 110.8°, ∠ H-C-H = 106°. The sp₂ -hybridized part of the ring is less puckered, whereas the sp³ part is more puckered than in cyclohexane.     

Refinement of linear polymer crystal structures determined from electron diffraction data

The reliability of linear polymer structures determined by using electron diffraction data is investigated. The results of n-beam dynamical calculations and kinematic calculations which take account of crystal bending are compared with experimental structure factors for five published structures. In specific cases, both dynamical scattering and crystal bending effects are found to be important. Finally, guidelines are given for obtaining electron diffraction data which are optimal for structure solution.     

Dipole moment enhancement in molecular crystals from X-ray diffraction data.

Although reliable determination of the molecular dipole moment from experimental charge density analyses on molecular crystals is a challenging undertaking, these values are becoming increasingly common experimental results. We collate all known experimental determinations and use this database to identify broad trends in the dipole moment enhancements implied by these measurements as well as outliers for which enhancements are pronounced. Compelling evidence emerges that molecular dipole moments from X-ray diffraction data can provide a wealth of information on the change in the molecular charge distribution that results from crystal formation. Most importantly, these experiments are unrivalled in their potential to provide this information in such detail and deserve to be exploited to a much greater extent. The considerable number of experimental determinations now available has enabled us to pinpoint those studies that merit further attention, either because they point unequivocally to a considerable enhancement in the crystal (of 50 % or more), or because the experimental determinations suggest enhancements of 100 % or more--much larger than independent theoretical estimates. In both cases further detailed experimental and theoretical studies are indicated.     

Molecular structure of ethynylbenzene from electron diffraction and ab initio molecular orbital calculations

The molecular structure and benzene ring distortions of ethynylbenzene have been investigated by gas-phase electron diffraction and ab initio MO calculations at the HF/6-31G^* and 6-3G^** levels. Least-squares refinement of a model withC _2v, symmetry, with constraints from the MO calculations, yielded the following important bond distances and angles:r _g(C _i -C _o )=1.407±0.003 Å,r _g(C _o -C _m )=1.397±0.003 Å,r _g(C _m -C _p )=1.400±0.003 Å,r _g(Cr _i -CCH)=1.436 ±0.004 Å,r _g(C=C)=1.205±0.005 Å, C _o -C _i -C _o =119.8±0.4°. The deformation of the benzene ring of ethynylbenzene given by the MO calculations, including o-C_i-C_o=119.4°, is insensitive to the basis set used and agrees with that obtained by low-temperature X-ray crystallography for the phenylethynyl fragment, C₆H₅-CC-, in two different crystal environments. The partial substitution structure of ethynylbenzene from microwave spectroscopy is shown to be inaccurate in the ipso region of the benzene ring.     

An intricate molecule: aluminum triiodide. Molecular structure of AlI3 and Al2I6 from electron diffraction and computation

The molecular structure of aluminum triiodide was investigated in the gas phase by high-temperature gas-phase electron diffraction and high-level computations. The geometries of monomeric, AlI3, and dimeric, Al2I6, molecules were determined from two separate experiments carried out under carefully controlled conditions to prevent decomposition. This is the first experimental determination of the dimer structure by modern techniques. The computed geometrical parameters strongly depend on the applied methods and basis sets as well as on core-valence correlation effects. The electron diffraction thermal average bond length, r(g), of AlI3 at 700 K is 2.448(6) A; while those of Al2I6 at 430 K are 2.456(6) A (terminal) and 2.670(8) A (bridging). The equilibrium geometry of the monomer molecule is planar with D(3h) symmetry. The dimer molecule is extremely floppy, and it is difficult to determine the symmetry of its equilibrium geometry by computation, as it is sensitive to the applied methods. MP2 and CCSD calculations find the Al2I6 molecule puckered with C(2v) symmetry (although with a very small barrier at planarity), while density functional methods give a structure with a planar central ring of D(2h) symmetry. Comparison of the computed vibrational frequencies with the gas-phase experimental ones favors the D(2h) symmetry structure.