Structure and symmetry of azulene as determined from microwave spectra of isotopomers

The rotational spectra of six ¹³C isotopomers in natural abundance and of eight synthesized deuterium isotopomers of azulene have been measured using pulsed nozzle cavity and waveguide Fourier transform microwave (FTMW) spectrometers over the 8–18?GHz range. The spectrum of the parent species was remeasured with the higher resolution of FTMW spectrometers. Rotational constants have been fitted to the measured frequencies of the rotational transitions of all measured isotopomers. In addition, centrifugal distortion constants were determined for the parent species and the deuterated isotopomers. The permanent electric dipole moment was redetermined from Stark splittings. The C_2v covering symmetry of the azulene molecule has been demonstrated unambiguously from a single set of observed transitions for the asymmetrically substituted 1-, 4-, 5- and 9-¹³C–isotopomers at twice the intensity of the symmetrically substituted 2- and 6-¹³C–isotopomers. The positions of all nuclei of the planar non–alternating aromatic ring system of azulene have been determined from moments of inertia of all available isotopomers. Different methods have been used to arrive at a near equilibrium structure.