Molecular fragmentations: Part VIII. Structures and energies of mass spectral fragments derived from tetraphosphorus trisulphide

Molecular structures and energies have been calculated in the MNDO approximation, for P₄S₃ and its molecular ion P₄S₃⁺, and for the mass spectral fragment pairs: (P₃S₃⁺ + P), (P₃S₂⁺ + PS), (P₃S⁺ + PS₂), (P₂S₃⁺ + P₂), (P₂S₂⁺ + P₂S), (P₂S⁺ + P₂S₂), (P₂S₂), PS₃⁺ + P₃), (PS₂⁺ + P₃S), (PS⁺ + P₃S₂), and (PS⁺ + P₂S + PS). Three distinct energy minima were found for each of P₂S₂⁺ and P₂S₂, and two minima for each of P₂S⁺, P₂S, PS₃⁺, PS₃⁺, PS₂⁺, PS₂, P₃⁺ and P₃. The fragments arising from P₄ and P₄⁺ were also investigated. The structures are discussed in terms of the Jahn—Teller effect, whose predictions are fulfilled without exception.