Microwave spectrum,torsional excitation energy,partial structure,and dipole moment of oxiranecarboxaldehyde

The microwave spectrum of oxiranecarboxaldehyde (glycidaldehyde) has been studied in the 8–40 GHz region. Transitions in the ground and first seven excited states of the torsional motion of the aldehyde group have been assigned for the species with the oxygen atom of the aldehyde group trans to the oxirane ring. The v = 0 to v = 1 torsional excitation energy is estimated to be 140 ± 10 cm^?1. The population of any other torsional conformer is less than 5% of the trans species at 200 K. Structural parameters were derived from rotational constants of the three singly substituted ¹³C species, whose spectra were observed in natural abundance. Substitution parameters are $\text{r}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>CC</mtext>}}\text{(ring) = 1.453 ±0.025}\text{A}\text{?}$, $\text{r}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>CC</mtext>}}\text{(ald.) = 1.469 ± 0.010}\text{A}\text{?}$, ∠CCC = 119.8 ± 2.0°. The dipole moments determined by means of the Stark effect are μ_a = 1.932 ± 0.005 D, μ_b = 1.511 ± 0.017 D, and μ_c = 0.277 ± 0.156 D, with μ_t = 2.469 ± 0.031 D.