Showing papers by "Rodney S. Ruoff published in 1990"

Relaxation of conformers and isomers in seeded supersonic jets of inert gases

Abstract: We have studied the relaxation of conformers and the formation/relaxation of isomeric, weakly bonded dimers in pulsed supersonic expansions of seeded inert gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr). The relaxation was determined from the intensity of a rotational transition for the higher energy species as a function of carrier gas composition, using the Balle/Flygare Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. Of thirteen molecules with rotational conformers which we examined, those with barriers to internal rotation greater than 400 cm−1 did not relax significantly in any of the carriers. The higher energy forms of ethyl formate, ethanol, and isopropanol, with smaller barriers, were not relaxed by He; those of ethanol and isopropanol were somewhat relaxed by Ne; and all were completely relaxed by as little as 5 to 20 mole percent of Ar or Kr in He or Ne. The relaxation in He or Ne is first order in the concentration of added Ne, Ar, or Kr as well as in the concentration of the high energy conformer. The pseudo first‐order r...

Rotational spectra and structures of the OC– and H3N–HCN–HF trimers: Coaxial mixing nozzle for reactive species

Abstract: Rotational spectra are reported for several isotopic species of the OC–and H3N–HCN–HF heterotrimers, detected with a pulsed nozzle, Fourier transform, Balle/Flygare microwave spectrometer.Rotational constants for the main isotopic species of the OC trimer are a B 0 of 615.574 MHz and D J of 251 Hz, and for H3N, a symmetric top, a B 0 of 1067.161 MHz and D J and D J K of 0.40 and 63 kHz. Their structures are composites of those reported for the X–HCN and HCN–HF dimers. They are effectively axially symmetric but have some shrinkage from the distances in the dimers. The shrinkages found in r 1, the c.m. to c.m. distance for X–HCN are 0.070 and 0.098 A for X=OC and H3N, respectively, and in r 2 for HCN–HF, 0.033 and 0.027 A. The 1 4N and H–F hyperfine interactions in OC–HCN–HF are the same as those reported for the HCN–HF dimer. Detection of the X=OC and H3N trimers out of the many species possible required care in their generation. Both were favored by the strongly bonded HCN–HF subunit. The OC–HCN–HF was further enhanced by using a high concentration of CO in the gas expansion. For H3N–HCN–HF a coaxial mixing nozzle was developed to avoid the formation of NH4F(s). The selectivity and simplicity of the nozzle should be helpful in extending the range of species observable with pulsed nozzles.

Rotational spectra and structures of small clusters containing the HCN dimer: X–(HCN)2 with X=CO, N2, NH3, and H2O

Abstract: This work is the counterpart of a previous report on the (HCN)2–Y trimers with Y=HF, HCl, HCF3, and CO2 [J. Chem. Phys. 90, 4069 (1989)]. Rotational spectra have been observed for several isotopic species of the OC–, N2–, H3N–, and H2O–(HCN)2 trimers, using a pulsed nozzle, Fourier transform Balle/Flygare microwave spectrometer. The structures are basically composites of those reported for the (HCN)2 and X–HCN dimers. The trimers are effectively axially symmetric, but have some shrinkage of dimensions. Rotational constants found for the main isotopic species of each trimer are: For X=OC, a B0 of 421.142 MHz and DJ of 110 Hz; for X=N2, 435.573 MHz and 155 Hz; for X=H3N, a symmetric top, a B0 of 675.777 MHz, DJ of 180 Hz, and DJK of 41.1 kHz; and for X=H2O, with C2v symmetry, a (B0+C0)/2 of 667.028 MHz, (B0−C0)/2 of 0.617 MHz, DJ of 173 Hz, and a DJK of 62.9 kHz. The rotational constants for the isotopic species of each trimer were used to determine the distances r1 and r2 between the centers of mass (c.m.)...

Rotational spectrum and structure of the HCN–(CO2)3 tetramer

Abstract: Microwave rotational transitions have been observed for HCN–(CO2)3, DCN–(CO2)3, H13CN–(CO2)3, HC15N–(CO2)3, HCN–(13CO2)3, HCN–(18OCO)(CO2)2, and HCN–(CO2)(C18O2)2 with the pulsed Fourier transform, Flygare/Balle Mark II spectrometer. A symmetric top spectrum was observed for the parent isotopic species with rotational constants of B0=861.6392(1) MHz, DJ =0.681(5) kHz, and DJK =0.821(12) kHz. The results for isotopic substitution indicate a zero‐point, vibrationally averaged geometry having the C3 symmetry of a cyclic (CO2)3 structure with the HCN along the symmetry axis and the N end closest to the (CO2)3. The C3 symmetry is confirmed by the observation of states limited to K=±3n, with n=0,1,2,..., as predicted for threefold symmetry generated by bosons only. The (CO2)3 has a pinwheel configuration, as in the free trimer, and the three carbons lie in a plane R=2.758 A below the center of mass (c.m.) of the HCN. The C‐C distance in this subunit is 3.797 A which is 0.241 A shorter than that found in the fre...