The molecular structure of tetramethoxymethane in the gas phase: an electron diffraction study

The electron diffraction study of tetramethoxymethane showed that in the gas phase the molecule has S₄ symmetry, flattened along the S₄ axis. Central and peripheral C-O bond lengths are different, consistent with considerations based on the anomeric effect. Comparison is made with ab initio calculations on methanediol. The geometrical parameters (r_g(1) structure) are: central C-O bond 1.395 Å; peripheral C-O bond 1.422 Å; C-H bond 1.11 Å; O-C-O angle bisected by the S₄. axis 114.7°; C-O-C angle 114.0°; O-C-H angle 111.9°; methoxy torsional angle 63.1°; methyl torsional angle 48.5°.