Molecular Jet Studies of vdW Clusters and Solvation
Abstract
The technique of supersonic molecular jet laser spectroscopy was used to determine the stable conformations of a series of alkylbenzenes. This study demonstrates, for the first time, the sensitivity of molecular jet spectroscopy in determining both the number of stable conformations as well as the geometry of various ethyl, propyl, and butyl substituents relative to the aromatic ring. Different rotamers with low barriers to interconversion, can be isolated in the supersonic jet expansion. Each observed conformation exhibits its own spectroscopic origin in a two-color time-of-flight mass spectrum (TOFMS). The number of stable conformations is then used to determine the minimum energy geometries of the substituent group. Previous identification of individual molecular conformations for such low barriers to interconversion has not been attainable with conventional techniques such as variable-temperature NMR.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 11, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA242866
Entities
People
- Elliot R. Bernstein
Organizations
- Colorado State University