Coupled large amplitude motions: a case study of the dimethylbenzaldehyde isomers.

The microwave spectra of the 3,4- (syn and anti), 2,5- (syn), and 3,5-dimethylbenzaldehyde (DMBA) molecules have been recorded for the first time in the 2-26.5 GHz frequency range, using the high resolution COBRA-FTMW spectrometer in Hannover. The experimental assignments and fits are supplemented by ab initio quantum chemical calculations of the conformational energy landscape and dipole moment components. The analysis of the spectra of the four observed isomers, including spectroscopic constants and large amplitude motion parameters, are presented in this paper. The DMBA isomers belong to a series of similar molecules obtained formally by adding one or more methyl group(s) at the aromatic ring. These molecules serve as prototype systems for the development of the theoretical model of asymmetric top molecules having C(s) symmetry while containing in addition two nonequivalent methyl tops (C(3v)), exhibiting different barrier heights and coupling terms. Thus, the DMBA isomers represent good species for testing the recently written two-top internal rotors BELGI program.

Synchrotron FTIR spectroscopy of weak torsional bands: a case study of cis-methyl formate.

The far infrared spectrum of cis-methyl formate has been recorded on the AILES beamline of the synchrotron SOLEIL using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer coupled to a long path cell. The very weak fundamental band associated with the methyl-top torsion mode (ν(18)) was observed. The frequency analysis was performed using the "rho axis method", and the microwave and millimeter-wave data from the literature. A precise determination of the band origins (ν(18)(A) = 132.4303 cm(-1) and ν(18)(E) = 131.8445 cm(-1)) and of the barrier height [V(3) = 370.7398 (58) cm(-1)] have been obtained. The intensity of the ν(18) fundamental band was determined to be 3.4 × 10(-21) cm(-1)∕(molecule cm(-2)) at 297 K, equally shared among A-A and E-E transitions, thus leading to a dipole moment component µ(c)(3) equal to 0.0483 D. The results were compared with the ab initio calcula-tions of Senent et al. [Astrophys. J. 627, 567 (2005)].

Magnetic hyperfine coupling of a methyl group undergoing internal rotation: a case study of methyl formate.

The hyperfine structure of methyl formate was recorded in the 2-20 GHz range. A molecular beam coupled to a Fourier transform microwave spectrometer having an instrumental resolution of 0.46 kHz and limited by a Doppler width of a few kHz was used. A-type lines were found split by the magnetic hyperfine coupling while no splittings were observed for E-type lines. Symmetry considerations were used to account for the internal rotation of the methyl top and to derive effective hyperfine coupling Hamiltonians. Neglecting the spin-rotation magnetic coupling, the vanishing splittings of the E-type lines could be understood and analyses of the hyperfine patterns of the A-type lines were performed. The results are consistent with a hyperfine structure dominated by the magnetic spin-spin coupling due to the three hydrogen atoms of the methyl group.