Internal rotation analysis of the microwave and millimeter wave spectra of fluoral (CF3CHO).

The rotational spectrum (4-40 GHz and 50-330 GHz) has been measured and analyzed for trifluoroacetaldehyde, also known as fluoral (CF3CHO), which is one of the degradation products of the fluorinated contaminants emitted into the atmosphere. The complexity of the spectroscopic analysis of this molecule arises from the strong coupling between the internal rotation motion of CF3 group and the overall rotation of the molecule. The value obtained for its coupling constant (ρ = 0.91723481(49)) is comparable to the corresponding value of methanol (CH3OH, ρ = 0.81), which is known for its complex spectrum. A total of 12,322 transitions of the ground, the first and second excited torsional states (ΔE1υt = 62.0183(13)cm-1; ΔE2υt = 120.3315(13)cm-1) with J ≤ 50 were included in the analysis that was performed employing the rho-axis-method (RAM), and the RAM36 code. A fit within experimental error (root mean square deviation equals to 35 kHz) has been achieved for this dataset using 47 parameters of the RAM torsion-rotation Hamiltonian. In the course of the analysis, it became evident that for such high ρ value, as it is determined for fluoral, a larger than usual torsional basis set at the first diagonalization step of the two-step diagonalization procedure is required for achieving a fit within experimental error.

Discovery of the acetyl cation, CH3CO+, in space and in the laboratory.

Using the Yebes 40m and IRAM 30m radiotelescopes, we detected two series of harmonically related lines in space that can be fitted to a symmetric rotor. The lines have been seen towards the cold dense cores TMC-1, L483, L1527, and L1544. High level of theory ab initio calculations indicate that the best possible candidate is the acetyl cation, CH3CO+, which is the most stable product resulting from the protonation of ketene. We have produced this species in the laboratory and observed its rotational transitions Ju = 10 up to Ju = 27. Hence, we report the discovery of CH3CO+ in space based on our observations, theoretical calculations, and laboratory experiments. The derived rotational and distortion constants allow us to predict the spectrum of CH3CO+ with high accuracy up to 500 GHz. We derive an abundance ratio N(H2CCO)/N(CH3CO+)~44. The high abundance of the protonated form of H2CCO is due to the high proton affinity of the neutral species. The other isomer, H2CCOH+, is found to be 178.9 kJ mol-1 above CH3CO+. The observed intensity ratio between the K=0 and K=1 lines, ~2.2, strongly suggests that the A and E symmetry states have suffered interconversion processes due to collisions with H and/or H2, or during their formation through the reaction of H 3 + with H2CCO.

Rotational spectroscopic study of S-methyl thioformate: A global laboratory analysis of ground and excited torsional states up to 660 GHz.

CONTEXT: S-methyl thioformate CH3SC(O)H is a monosulfur derivative of methyl formate, a relatively abundant component of the interstellar medium (ISM). S-methyl thioformate being, thermodynamically, the most stable isomer, it can be reasonably proposed for detection in the ISM. AIMS: This work aims to experimentally study and theoretically analyze the ground and first torsional excited states for CH3SC(O)H in a large spectral range for astrophysical use. METHODS: S-methyl thioformate was synthesized as a result of a reaction of methyl mercaptan with acetic-formic anhydride. The millimeter-wave spectrum was then recorded for the first time from 150 to 660 GHz with the solid-state spectrometer located at Lille. RESULTS: A set of 3545 lines is determined and combined with 54 previously measured lines in the microwave region, belonging to ground state ν t = 0 as well as 1391 transitions in the first excited state of torsion ν 18 = 1. Some 164 lines were also assigned to ν 18 = 2 for the A-species. A global fit was performed using the BELGI-Cs code taking into account the large splitting of A and E lines due to methyl internal rotation motion with a relatively low barrier, V3 = 127.4846(15) cm-1. CONCLUSIONS: Using our spectroscopy work, a deep search of S-methyl thioformate was carried out in the IRAM 30m and ALMA data of different high-mass star-forming regions (Orion KL and Sgr B2). We derived an upper limit to the CH3SC(O)H column density in these regions.

Discovery of the Ubiquitous Cation NS+ in Space Confirmed by Laboratory Spectroscopy.

We report the detection in space of a new molecular species which has been characterized spectroscopically and fully identified from astrophysical data. The observations were carried out with the 30m IRAM telescopea. The molecule is ubiquitous as its J=2→1 transition has been found in cold molecular clouds, prestellar cores, and shocks. However, it is not found in the hot cores of Orion-KL and in the carbon-rich evolved star IRC+10216. Three rotational transitions in perfect harmonic relation J' = 2/3/5 have been identified in the prestellar core B1b. The molecule has a 1Σ electronic ground state and its J=2→1 transition presents the hyperfine structure characteristic of a molecule containing a nucleus with spin 1. A careful analysis of possible carriers shows that the best candidate is NS+. The derived rotational constant agrees within 0.3-0.7% with ab initio calculations. NS+ was also produced in the laboratory to unambiguously validate the astrophysical assignment. The observed rotational frequencies and determined molecular constants confirm the discovery of the nitrogen sulfide cation in space. The chemistry of NS+ and related nitrogen-bearing species has been analyzed by means of a time-dependent gas phase model. The model reproduces well the observed NS/NS+ abundance ratio, in the range 30-50, and indicates that NS+ is formed by reactions of the neutral atoms N and S with the cations SH+ and NH+, respectively.

The millimeter-wave spectrum of methyl ketene and the astronomical search for it.

CONTEXT: The analysis of isomeric species of a compound observed in the interstellar medium (ISM) is a useful tool to understand the chemistry of complex organic molecules. It could, likewise, assist in the detection of new species. AIMS: Our goal consists in analyzing one of the two most stable species of the C3H4O family, methyl ketene, whose actual rotational parameters are not precise enough to allow its detection in the ISM. The obtained parameters will be used to search for it in the high-mass star-forming regions Orion KL and Sagittarius B2, as well as in the cold dark clouds TMC-1 in the Taurus Molecular Cloud and Barnard 1 (B1-b). METHODS: A millimeter-wave room-temperature rotational spectrum of methyl ketene was recorded from 50 to 330 GHz. The internal rotation analysis of its ground state and first torsional excited state was performed with the rho-axis method employing the RAM36 program. RESULTS: More than 3000 transitions of the rotational spectrum of the ground state (Kamax = 18) and first torsional excited state (Kamax = 13) of methyl ketene were fitted using a Hamiltonian that contains 41 parameters with an RMS (root mean square) of 41 kHz. Column density limits were calculated but no lines were detected in the ISM belonging to methyl ketene.

Millimeter wave spectra of carbonyl cyanide.

CONTEXT: More than 30 cyanide derivatives of simple organic molecules have been detected in the interstellar medium, but only one dicarbonitrile has been found and that very recently. There is still a lack of high-resolution spectroscopic data particularly for dinitriles derivatives. The carbonyl cyanide molecule is a new and interesting candidate for astrophysical detection. It could be formed by the reaction of CO and CN radicals, or by substitution of the hydrogen atom by a cyano group in cyanoformaldehyde, HC(=O)CN, that has already been detected in the interstellar medium. AIMS: The available data on the rotational spectrum of carbonyl cyanide is limited in terms of quantum number values and frequency range, and does not allow accurate extrapolation of the spectrum into the millimeter-wave range. To provide a firm basis for astrophysical detection of carbonyl cyanide we studied its millimeter-wave spectrum. METHODS: The rotational spectrum of carbonyl cyanide was measured in the frequency range 152 - 308 GHz and analyzed using Watson's A- and S-reduction Hamiltonians. RESULTS: The ground and first excited state of v5 vibrational mode were assigned and analyzed. More than 1100 distinct frequency lines of the ground state were fitted to produce an accurate set of rotational and centrifugal distortion constants up to the eighth order. The frequency predictions based on these constants should be accurate enough for astrophysical searches in the frequency range up to 500 GHz and for transition involving energy levels with J ≤ 100 and Ka ≤ 42. Based on the results we searched for interstellar carbonyl cyanide in available observational data without success. Thus, we derived upper limits to its column density in different sources.

Searching for trans ethyl methyl ether in Orion KL.

We report on the tentative detection of trans ethyl methyl ether (tEME), t-CH3CH2OCH3, through the identification of a large number of rotational lines from each one of the spin states of the molecule towards Orion KL. We also search for gauche-trans-n-propanol, Gt-n-CH3CH2CH2OH, an isomer of tEME in the same source. We have identified lines of both species in the IRAM 30 m line survey and in the ALMA Science Verification data. We have obtained ALMA maps to establish the spatial distribution of these species. Whereas tEME mainly arises from the compact ridge component of Orion, Gt-n-propanol appears at the emission peak of ethanol (south hot core). The derived column densities of these species at the location of their emission peaks are ≤(4.0 ± 0.8) × 1015 cm-2 and ≤(1.0 ± 0.2)× 1015 cm-2 for tEME and Gt-n-propanol, respectively. The rotational temperature is ~100 K for both molecules. We also provide maps of CH3OCOH, CH3CH2OCOH, CH3OCH3, CH3OH, and CH3CH2OH to compare the distribution of these organic saturated O-bearing species containing methyl and ethyl groups in this region. Abundance ratios of related species and upper limits to the abundances of non-detected ethers are provided. We derive an abundance ratio N(CH3OCH3)/N(tEME) ≥ 150 in the compact ridge of Orion.

Analysis of the microwave, terahertz, and far infrared spectra of monodeuterated methanol CH2DOH up to J = 26, K = 11, and o(1).

The first theoretical approach aimed at accounting for the energy levels of a non-rigid molecule displaying asymmetric-top asymmetric-frame internal rotation is developed. It is applied to a line position analysis of the high-resolution spectrum of the non-rigid CH2DOH molecule and allows us to carry out a global analysis of a data set consisting of already available data and of microwave and far infrared transitions measured in this work. The analysis is restricted to the three lowest lying torsional levels (e0, e1, and o1), to K ⩽ 11, and to J ⩽ 26. For the 8211 fitted lines, the unitless standard deviation is 2.4 and 103 parameters are determined including kinetic energy, hindering potential, and distortion effects parameters.

Influence of the geometry of a hydrogen bond on conformational stability: a theoretical and experimental study of ethyl carbamate.

Spectra of ethyl carbamate (urethane) in the gas phase have been recorded in the microwave (4-20 GHz), millimeter-wave (49-118 GHz and 150-235 GHz) and mid-infrared (1000-1900 cm(-1)) regions. At the same time, high level ab initio calculations have been performed in order to both predict the experimental results and help in understanding the physical properties of the system. An extensive set of spectroscopic constants for the two most stable conformers in the gas phase, that might be useful for astrophysical databases, has been derived from the observed signals. The most stable conformer has been unambiguously identified. Then, the influence of a weak intramolecular hydrogen bond on the conformational stability has been discussed on the basis of theoretical and experimental results.

The Submillimeter-Wave Spectrum and Quantum Chemical Calculations of Glyoxylic Acid.

Glyoxylic acid is a possible candidate for interstellar detection. Many transitions of the submillimeter wave spectrum of the ground vibrational state of its most stable conformer have been measured for the first time. These transitions have been used together with microwave transitions measured previously to obtain accurate spectroscopic constants that should facilitate a search for this compound in interstellar space. High-level quantum chemical calculations of the structure, quartic centrifugal distortion constants, inertial defect, and energy difference between the two low-energy conformers of glyoxylic acid have also been made. Accurate predictions of the equilibrium structures of the most stable forms of glyoxylic, as well as of formic acid, are reported. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

High-Resolution Infrared and Millimeter-Wave Study of D(3)SiF: The Ground and v(3)=1 States of the (29)Si and (30)Si Species, and the v(3)=v(6)=1 and v(3)=2 States of D(3) (28)SiF.

The nu(3) band of D(3)SiF near 890 cm(-1) recorded with a resolution of 2.4x10(-3) cm(-1) has been explored for the (29)Si and (30)Si isotopic species. Moreover, the nu(3)+nu(6)-nu(6) and 2nu(3)-nu(3) bands for the main (28)Si isotopomer have been assigned. For this purpose the nu(3)+nu(6) and 2nu(3) bands at 1435.697 and 1769.531 cm(-1) have been studied. Ground state parameters of the (29)Si and (30)Si species have been determined by merging newly measured MMW frequencies and ground state combination differences. In addition, v(3)=1 excited state parameters for these species have been obtained. While for the (28)Si species the v(3)=v(6)=1 state is locally perturbed by levels of the v(2)+v(5)=2 polyad, the v(3)=2 state appears to be unperturbed, its parameters being predictable from those of the v(3)=1 state. Anharmonicity constants x(33)=-4.1334 cm(-1) and x(36)=-3.6547 cm(-1) have been determined. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

The Ground and First Excited Torsional States of Acetic Acid.

A global fit of microwave and millimeter-wave rotational transitions in the ground and first excited torsional states (v(t) = 0 and 1) of acetic acid (CH(3)COOH) is reported, which combines older measurements from the literature with new measurements from Kharkov, Lille, and NIST. The fit uses a model developed initially for acetaldehyde and methanol-type internal rotor molecules. It requires 34 parameters to achieve a unitless weighted standard deviation of 0.84 for a total of 2518 data and includes A- and E-species transitions with J

High-Resolution Infrared and Millimeter-Wave Study of the Fermi-Coupled v(2) = 1 and v(3) = 2 States of DSiF(3).

The nu(2) (nu(eff.) 854.841 cm(-1)) and 2nu(3) infrared bands (nu(eff.) 840.083 cm(-1)) of DSiF(3) have been studied with a resolution of 2.5 x 10(-3) cm(-1). Moreover, millimeter-wave transitions in the v(2) = 1 and v(3) = 2 states up to J" = 33 have been measured. The assignments and fit of the poorly resolved, compressed cluster-type 2nu(3) IR transitions have been confirmed by a simultaneous study of the 2nu(3)-nu(3) band. The constant W = 5.116 cm(-1) of the Fermi interaction between the v(2) = 1 and v(3) = 2 levels has been determined from frequency effects which are in agreement with relative intensities of the nu(2) and 2nu(3) bands. The deperturbed (B(0) - B(v)) and (C(0) - C(v)) values of the states involved agree with their ab initio predictions within 7% in the worst case. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Microwave, Submillimeter-Wave, and High-Resolution FTIR Study of SO(2)F(2) in the nu(8) State.

The high-resolution infrared spectrum of the nu(8) band of SO(2)F(2) (nu(as) SF(2)) centered at 887.2 cm(-1) has been recorded with a resolution of 2.4 x 10(-3) cm(-1). More than 8000 transitions of the C-type band with DeltaK(a) = +/-1 (and in addition some DeltaK(a) = +/-3 transitions) have been assigned. Microwave and millimeter-wave spectra of the v(8) = 1 state up to 450 GHz have been recorded, and 177 pure rotational transitions have been measured. Rotational and rovibrational data have been combined, and excited state parameters up to sextic centrifugal distortion constants have been determined using a Watson-type Hamiltonian in S-reduction. No perturbation was indicated. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

High-Resolution Infrared and Millimeter-Wave Study of the v(3) = 1 State of HSiF(3) and DSiF(3).

Millimeter-wave spectra of HSiF(3) and DSiF(3) in the v(3) = 1 excited state have been measured from 100 to 490 GHz. Infrared spectra have been recorded in the nu(3) regions, nu(0) 424.0301 and 420.9320 cm(-1) in HSiF(3) and DSiF(3), respectively, with a resolution of 2.4 x 10(-3) cm(-1). Since in both species the parameters alpha(B)(3) and alpha(C)(3) have very similar values, no K structure could be resolved in the (Q)P and (Q)R clusters for low-to-medium K values. For high J the effect of the ground state D(JK) term more and more dominates and spreads the J clusters into opposite directions such that medium-to-high K components, particularly those with K = 3p, are resolved. Rotational and infrared data have been fitted together using a model up to sextic centrifugal distortion constants. No perturbations were indicated. Hot bands (nu(3) + nnu(6))-nnu(6) with n = 1, 2, and 3 have been detected and analyzed. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Rovibrational Spectroscopy of the v(5) = 1 Level of (28)SiDF(3).

The nu(5) fundamental band of trifluorosilane-d (SiDF(3)) at 627 cm(-1) was studied for the first time by high-resolution FTIR spectroscopy at a resolution of 2.4 x 10(-3) cm(-1). The analysis was performed simultaneously with available microwave and newly measured submillimeter-wave data in the approximation of an isolated degenerate fundamental level of a C(3 Kv) symmetric top molecule leading to a standard deviation of 0.22 x 10(-3) cm(-1) for the reproduction of the infrared wavenumbers, 36 kHz for the microwave, and 198 kHz for the submillimeter-wave frequencies, respectively. The unitary equivalence between the two reductions (Q and D) of the effective Hamiltonian applied in the analysis is demonstrated. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Radiofrequency, Centimeter-Wave, Millimeter-Wave, and Infrared Spectra of SiHF(3): Investigation of the Ground, v(4) = 1, and v(6) = 1 Vibrational States.

The present paper deals with the analysis of the microwave, millimeter-wave, and infrared spectra of (28)SiHF(3) in its ground, v(6) = 1 and v(4) = 1 excited states. The former was observed up to 1055 GHz leading to the determination of one octic centrifugal distortion constant, L(J) = -0.0749(55) µHz. Furthermore the interaction term ||h(3,GS) || = 1.1032(70) mHz has been fitted from splittings of six K = 3 lines. The excited states have been regarded as isolated ones. This enabled fits according the Q-, D-, and QD-reduction schemes proposed by E. I. Lobodenko, O. N. Sulakshina, V. I. Perevalov, and Vl. G. Tyuterev, (J. Mol. Spectrosc. 126, 159-170 (1987)) and further developed by J. K. G. Watson, C. Gerke, H. Harder, and K. Sarka, (J. Mol. Spectrosc. 187, 131-141 (1997)) and Harder (J. Mol. Spectrosc. 194, 145 (1999)). A multiple fit analysis was performed confirming the assumption that the excited states are not affected by intervibrational resonances. Finally the millimeter spectrum of (29)SiHF(3) and (30)SiHF(3) in their ground state was also measured up to 460 GHz and accurate rotational and centrifugal distortion parameters were derived. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Centrifugal Distortion Analysis of a Near-Spherical Top, SO(2)F(2): The First Determination of All Six Quartic Centrifugal Distortion Constants for an Asymmetric Top.

The rotational spectrum of the near-spherical top molecule SO(2)F(2) (sulfuryl fluoride) has been investigated by microwave Fourier transform spectroscopy and by millimeter-wave spectroscopy. The ground state spectrum has been measured from 10 to 472 GHz. One of the reasons for studying this molecule is that it is a nearly spherical top and we wanted to verify our theoretical prediction that for such a molecule all six quartic centrifugal distortion constants (and nine sextic distortion constants) should be determinable, while for a standard asymmetric rotor, Watson has shown that only five quartic and seven sextic distortion constants are determinable. The analysis of the spectra confirmed our predictions, because all six quartic constants were well determinable. The results have been confirmed independently by ab initio calculations of the force field and quartic distortion constants. Because the molecule is relatively heavy, contributions of some sextic constants are too small and we have not been able to determine all nine sextic constants predicted by theory. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Analysis of Rotational and Rovibrational Spectra of SiDF(3) in the Ground and v(4) = 1 Excited States.

This paper presents the analysis of the spectra of SiDF(3) in its vibrational ground and v(4) = 1 states. The pure rotational spectrum of the ground state was measured up to 903 GHz (J" = 65). Rotational, quartic, and sextic centrifugal distortion constants were accurately determined. Furthermore the parameter ||h(3) || = 7.64(11) x 10(-4) Hz was derived from the observation of A(1)-A(2) splittings of six K = 3 lines. The assignment of the v(4) = 1 spectrum was performed by combining 140 pure rotational frequencies and more than 2300 rovibrational transitions. Among them, because of the strong (+/-2, -/+4) interaction, there are more than 90 A(1)-A(2) resolved split transitions between the (l = 0, k = +/-3) ground state levels and the (l = +/-2, k = -/+1) v(4) = 1 levels. Although the v(4) band is located at about 994.3 cm(-1), the energies of the other fundamental bands are at a distance of more than 140 cm(-1). The assumption of the isolated character of the state was confirmed by the small differences between the v(4) = 1 state and the ground state parameters and by the possibility of using the D and Q reduction schemes proposed by E. I. Lobodenko, O. N. Sulakshina, V. I. Perevalov, and Vl. G. Tyuterev [J. Mol. Spectrosc. 126, 159-170 (1987)]. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

High-Resolution FTIR and Millimeter-Wave Study of D(3)SiF: The Ground, v(3) = 1, and v(6) = 1 and 2 States.

The nu(6) (555.453 cm(-1)), the nu(3) (888.899 cm(-1)), and the very weak 2nu(6) infrared bands (2nu(-/+2)(6) 1101.734 cm(-1), 2nu(0)(6) 1100.102 cm(-1)) for the (28)Si species of D(3)SiF have been recorded with a resolution of 3.3, 2.4, and 5.0 x 10(-3) cm(-1), respectively. Millimeter-wave spectra up to 640 GHz of D(3)SiF in the ground, v(3) = 1, and v(6) = 1 and 2 states were measured. Ground state constants complete up to H constants including the K-dependent parameters A(0), D(0)(K), and H(0)(K) as obtained by the nu(+/-1)(6)/2nu(+/-2)(6)-nu(+/-1)(6)/2nu(-/+2)(6) loop method were determined by a merge of 2388 ground state combination differences with 59 rotational data. The v(3) = 1 and v(6) = 1 and 2 levels appear to be unperturbed intervibrationally for the J and K values that could be accessed. However, Deltal = Deltak = +/-2 and Deltal = +/-2, Deltak = -/+4 interactions affect the v(6) = 1 level while the v(6) = 2 levels undergo three interactions of Deltal = Deltak = +/-2, Deltal = +/-2, Deltak = -/+1 and Deltal = +/-4, Deltak = -/+2 type. Typically, for the different bands, 2000-4000 pieces of infrared data augmented by 36-120 rotational data were fitted together. Owing to the weakness of the 2nu(6) band, the body of v(6) = 2 data was enlarged by energies that are deduced from the 2nu(6)-nu(6) and nu(6) bands and which span in particular high K values. Comparison with available ab initio data derived from the harmonic and anharmonic force fields is made. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.