The S1 ← S0 vibronic spectra and structure of the (CH3)2 CHCHO and (CH3)2 CHCDO 2-methylpropanal molecules

A multipass cell with an optical path up to 120 m long was used to measure the vibronic absorption spectra of 2-methylpropanal-h₁ (MPA-h₁, (CH₃)₂CHCHO)) and 2-methylpropanal-d₁ (MPA-d₁, (CH₃)₂CHCDO)) over the frequency range 28200–31600 cm⁻¹. The most intense spectral lines were assigned to transitions from vibrational levels of the cis and gauche MPA-h₁ and MPA-d₁ conformers in the ground electronic state (S ₀) to vibrational levels of conformers 1 and 3 in the lowest singlet excited electronic state (S ₁). According to our estimates, the origins (0 ₀ ⁰ ) of the 1 S ₁) ← cis(S ₀) and 3(S ₁) ← cis(S ₀) and also 1(S ₁) ← gauche(S ₀) and 3(S ₁) ← gauche(S ₀) electronic transitions were situated at 29147 and 29177, 29391 and 29417 cm⁻¹, respectively, for MPA-h₁ and at 29226 and 29240, 29480 and 29500 cm⁻¹ for MPA-d₁. The structure of conformers 1 and 3 in the S ₁ state was shown to differ from the structure of the cis and gauche conformers in the S ₀ state by the angle of rotation of the (CH₃)₂CH-isopropyl top and “pyramidal distortion” of the CCHO/CCDO carbonyl fragment. A series of fundamental frequencies of MPA conformers in different electronic states were found. The potential functions of inversion were determined for the conformer 1-conformer 3 pairs of MPA-h₁ and MPA-d₁ from the experimental energy levels of inversion vibrations. The potential barriers to inversion and equilibrium displacements of the CH/CD bond out of the CCO plane were found to be 735/675 cm⁻¹ and ±34°/±32° for MPA-h₁ and MPA-d₁, respectively. Original Russian Text ? I.A. Godunov, S.L. Lur’e, N.N. Yakovlev, V.A. Bataev, 2007, published in Zhurnal Fizicheskoi Khimii, 2007, Vol. 81, No. 1, pp. 52–62.