A gas-phase electron diffraction study op the molecular structure of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane

The molecular structure of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane is studied using gas-phase electron diffraction data collected on the Balzers KDG2 instrument. Effective least-squares refinement of the geometry is achieved with values for vibrational amplitudes transferred from normal coordinate calculations on related molecules. The following values for the main independent geometrical parameters are obtained (r_a values with e.s.d. in parentheses): C-C = 1.501(4) Å, C-H = 1.077 (15) Å, C-F(CH₂F) = 1.389(6) Å, C-F(CF₃) = 1.334 (2) Å, ∠CCH= 106.1(12)°, ∠CCF(CH₂F)= 112.3(4) Å, ∠CCF(CF₃)= 110.4(2). Other angles are ∠FCF = 108.6 (2)° and ∠FCH = 111.4(15)°, with ∠HCH constrained at 109.4°. The r_a bond lengths of all the fluoroethanes are compared.