Microwave spectroscopy of furfural in vibrationally excited states

The results of microwave spectrum investigation of the excited vibrational states of furfural in the frequency range between 49 and 149 GHz are reported. In total 15 excited vibrational states (9 for trans-furfural and 6 for cis-furfural) were assigned and analyzed. Six of the 15 investigated states were assigned for the first time. Accurate values of rigid rotor and quartic centrifugal distortion constants of asymmetric top Hamiltonian have been determined for 13 excited states. Also for some states several sextic and octic level constants were needed in order to fit the data within experimental accuracy. The v_t = 3 and v_s = 1, v_a = 1 states of trans-furfural were found to be strongly perturbed and only rotational transitions with low K_a values can be reliably identified in this study.