An electron diffraction study of 3-methyldiaziridine and 1,2-dimethyldiaziridine

The structures of the title compounds, diaziridines, (the first to be studied in the gas phase) have been determined by electron diffraction. The following principal structural parameters were obtained with the estimated standard deviations parenthesized: 3-methyldiaziridine, N-C = 1.489(9) Å, N-N = 1.444(13) Å, C-C = 1.505(16) Å, C-H = 1.107(5) Å, α =∠ (C-C, NCN) = 61.3° (0.9); 1,2-dimethyldiaziridine, (parameters of the cycle CN₂ were assumed from the previous molecule), N-C (methyl) = 1.445(3) Å, C-H = 1.108(9) Å, ∠ C-N-Me = 112.0° (0.5), the two methyl groups are in the trans position. Vibrational amplitudes were also determined for all important distances.