Microwave and far-IR spectra,conformational stability,molecular structure,barriers to internal rotation and ab initio calculations for the anticlinal conformer of trans-1-fluoro-2-butene

The microwave spectrum of trans-1-fluoro-2-butene, trans-(CH₃)HCCH(CH₂F), has been recorded in the region of 18.0–39.0 GHz. Both a-type R- and b-type Q-branch assignments have been made for the ground and first two vibrationally excited states of the asymmetric torsion for the gauche (anticlinal) conformer. The ground state rotational constants for this conformer are found to have the following values: A = 19,938.33±0.48, B = 2071.37±0.01, C = 2022.17±0.01 MHz. From an analysis of the internal rotational splittings of the Q-branches, the three-fold rotational barrier for the methyl group is determined to be 596±7 cm^?1 (1.70±0.02 kcal/mol). From the Stark effect the dipole moment components for the gauche conformer were determined to be |μ_a| = 1.86±0.01, |μ_b| = 1.16±0.01, |μ_c| = 0.31±0.05, and |μ_t = 2.21±0.01 D. The fundamental asymmetric torsion for the cis (synclinal) conformer has been observed in the far-IR spectrum of the vapor at 123.95 cm^?1 whereas that for the gauche conformer has been determined to occur at 82.8±5 cm^?1 based on relative intensity measurements obtained from the microwave spectrum. From these data the potential function which governs the internal rotation of the asymmetric top has been determined and the following potential constants have been evaluated: V₁ = ?191±10, V₂ = 598±10, V₃ = 786±13, V₄ = 59±5, and V₆ = 79±5 cm^?1. These data are consistent with the more stable conformer having the fluorine atom cis (synclinal) to the double bond and lying 300±33 cm^?1 (858±94 cal/mol) lower in energy than the gauche rotamer. Utilizing ab initio calculations with the MP2/6-31G* basis set and the three rotational constants, r₀ structural parameters are estimated. Also, the barriers to conformer interconversion have been calculated with the RHF/3-21G, RHF/6-31G*, and MP2/6-31G* basis sets. All of these results have been compared to the similar quantities of some corresponding molecules.