Internal rotation effects in the pulsed jet rotational spectrum of the trifluoromethane-carbon dioxide dimer

The rotational spectrum of the normal isotopic species of the HCF₃-CO₂ weakly bound complex has been measured by Fourier-transform microwave (FTMW) spectroscopy. All transitions are split into A and E states by internal rotation of the trifluoromethane subunit. A global fit of these states gives rotational constants that are consistent with a structure predicted by an MP2/6-311++G(2d,2p) ab initio calculation in which the axes of the monomers are coplanar, with the hydrogen atom of the trifluoromethane angled toward one of the oxygen atoms of the CO₂. Measured dipole moment components (μ_a = 0.431(6) D, μ_b = 0, μ_c = 1.436(6) D, μ_total = 1.499(6) D) confirm the ab initio prediction of an ac plane of symmetry; however, the very near-prolate nature of the complex (κ = −0.997), combined with the relatively high barrier to internal rotation (∼30 cm⁻¹) leads to asymmetry splittings and internal rotation splittings of similar magnitude, resulting in the observation of dipole forbidden b-type E-state transitions in addition to the expected a- and c-type lines. Although this effect has been observed previously in several monomer spectra, this appears to be one of few examples for a weakly bound complex.