Spectroscopic investigation of the vibrational quasi-continuum arising from internal rotation of a methyl group

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:7071810

Hougen, J T

The goal of this project is to use spectroscopic techniques to investigate in detail phenomena involving the vibrational quasicontinuum in a simple physical system. Acetaldehyde was chosen for the study because: (1) methyl groups are known to be important promotors of intramolecular vibrational relaxation; (2) the internal rotation of a methyl group is an easily describable large-amplitude motion, which should retain its simple character even at high levels of excitation, and (3) the aldehyde carbonyl group offers the possibility of both vibrational and electronic probing. The present investigation of the ground electronic state has three parts: (1) understanding the isolated'' internal-rotation motion below, at, and above the top of the torsional barrier, (2) understanding in detail traditional vibrational fundamental and overtone states, and (3) understanding interactions involving states with multiquantum excitations of at least one of these two kinds of motion. Progress during the first nine months of this project will be described under these three headings.

• Research Organization: National Inst. of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (United States). Molecular Physics Div.
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AI05-90ER14161
• OSTI ID: 7071810
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/14161-1; ON: DE92040509
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

664200* -- Spectra of Atoms & Molecules & their Interactions with Photons-- (1992-)
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ACETALDEHYDE
ALDEHYDES
ALKYL RADICALS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY LEVELS
EXCITED STATES
METHYL RADICALS
MOTION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROGRESS REPORT
RADICALS
ROTATION
SPECTROSCOPY
VIBRATIONAL STATES