The molecular structure and pseudorotational motion of 1,1-difluorosilacyclopetane as determined by gas-phase electron diffraction

The structure of 1,1-difluorosilacyclopentane has been studied by gas-phase electron diffraction. The molecule is found to have a barrier of pseudorotion of 2.25(90) kcal mol⁻¹. The potential function has minimum at the twist form (C₂) symmetry and maxima at the envelope forms. The major bond distances (itr)_g) and valence angles obtained from the least-squares refinements with error estimates are as follow: r(C---H) = 1.128(7) A, r(C---C)_av = 1.553(15) A, r(Si---F) = 1.582(6) A, r(Si---C) = 1.853(3) A, (CSiF) = 113.4′(3), CCC = 106°(1), and Tau(C1C2C3C4) = 56.0°(32).