Spectra and structure of phosphorus-boron compounds : IV. Vibrational spectra of solid trifluorophosphineborane

The Raman spectra of F₃PBH₃ and F₃PBD₃ have been recorded (2500-10 cm⁻¹) of the liquids (−80°C) and solids (−196°C) as well as the infrared spectra (4000-33 cm⁻¹) of the solids. In the spectrum of the solid state many of the ¹⁰B and ¹¹B fundamentals were clearly defined and it was also possible to assign the BH₃ torsional frequency from the infrared and Raman spectra of the solids. A complete vibrational assignment is proposed and a normal coordinate calculation carried out. The force constant of 2.46 mdyn Å⁻¹ for the P-B stretching mode is consistent with the short P-B bond; this constant is compared to the similar quantity for several other phosphorus-boron compounds. All of the E modes for the “free” molecule are shown to be split by the site symmetry which indicates that the molecules occupy C_s or C₁ sites. The large number of observed lattice modes is consistent with two or more molecules per primitive cell. The torsional frequency was observed at 224 cm⁻¹ and 167 cm⁻¹ in hydrogen and deuterium compounds in the solid, respectively. These frequencies gave a periodic barrier of 4.15 kcal mole⁻¹ for F₃PBH₃ and 4.31 kcal mole⁻¹ for F₃PBD₃. CNDO/2 calculations have been carried out for F₃PBH₃ and the isoelectronic F₃SiCH₃ molecule in both the staggered and eclipsed forms and the dipole and barrier origins are discussed.