Microwave Spectroscopy Wave length ~ 1 cm to 100 m Wave number ~ 1 to 100 cm -1. Frequency ~ 3 x to 3 x Hz Energy ~ 10 to 1000 Joules/mole Spectrum of CO cm -1 Equally spaced lines
Rotation of a diatomic molecule R r1r1 r2r2 m2m2 m1m1
Equivalent to that of a single particle
The Rigid Rotor
(2J+1) fold degeneracy! B 6B 2B 0 3 JEJEJ
Electric field + diatomic molecule
Must have a permanent dipole moment Selection Rules Z -part Initial state Final state Transition Moment = Integral
X -part Y -part
J J 6B 2B 0 Blue –ALLOWED Red – NOT
J B 6B 2B 0 EJEJ 4B6B8B Equally spaced lines!
Intensities 2B4B6B8B 10B 12B 14B 16B Why does the intensities increase and then decrease? Depends on initial populations!
Population of levels If B=2 cm -1 then
Isotope Effect
Non-Rigid Rotor
Polyatomics 1. Linear Molecules – similar to diatomics Three moments of Inertia! 16 O 12 C 32 S - B = 6, MHz 16 O 12 C 33 S - B = 6, MHz 16 O 12 C 34 S - B = 5, MHz (from: Graybeal)
2. Non-Linear Molecules
a) Spherical Top Examples: CH 4, SF 6 etc Do not absorb Microwave Radiation!
b) Symmetric Top BCl 3 CH 3 F
Prolate CH 3 F
Oblate BCl 3
a) Asymmetric Top No simple expression for Allowed energy levels
Pulsed nozzle FTMW spectrometer
Benzene dimer, c.m-c.m distance 4.96Å Distance very close to what is found in crystal! Arunan and Gutowsky J. Chem. Phys. 98, 4294 (1993)