Gas-phase electron diffraction studies of the molecular structures of pentafluoroethane,C2F5H,and monofluoroethane,C2H5F

The molecular structures of C₂F₅H and C₂H₅F have been studied using gas-phase electron diffraction data collected on the Balzers KDG2 instrument. The following values for the main independent geometrical parameters were obtained (r_a values with e.s.d. in parentheses): in C₂F₅H, C-C = 1.525(4) Å, C-F(CHF₂) = 1.347 Å, C-F(CF₃) = 1.327 Å C-F(av.) = 1.335(2) Å], ∠CCF(av.) = 110.0(2)°; in C₂H₅F, C-C = 1.502(5) Å, C-F = 1.397(4) Å, C-H = 1.097(2) Å. ∠CCF = 110.4(2)°, ∠CCH(av.) = 113.6(4)°. Evidence is presented to show that the electron diffraction data for C₂H₅F are not compatible with values for the bond angles deduced spectroscopically.