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The (sub-)millimeter wave spectrum of the non-rigid CH2OH radical is investigated both experimentally and theoretically. Ab initio calculations are carried out to quantitatively characterize its potential energy surface as a function of the two large amplitude ∠H1COH and ∠H2COH dihedral angles. It is shown that the radical displays a large amplitude torsional-like motion of its CH2 group with respect to the OH group. The rotation–torsion levels computed with the help of a 4D Hamiltonian accounting for this torsional-like motion and for the overall rotation exhibit a tunneling splitting, in agreement with recent experimental investigations, and a strong rotational dependence of this tunneling splitting on the rotational quantum number Ka due to the rotation–torsion Coriolis coupling. Based on an internal axis method approach, a fitting Hamiltonian accounting for tunneling effects and for the fine and hyperfine structure is built and applied to the fitting of the new (sub)-millimeter wave transitions measured in this work along with previously available high-resolution data. 778 frequencies and wavenumbers are reproduced with a unitless standard deviation of 0.79 using 27 parameters. The N = 0 tunneling splitting, which could not be determined unambiguously in the previous high-resolution investigations, is determined based on its rotational dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methoxyphenols (MPs) are a significant component of biomass burning emissions which mainly exists in our atmosphere in the gas phase where they contribute to the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Rovibrational spectroscopy is a promising tool to monitor atmospheric MPs and infer their role in SOA formation. In this study, we bring a new perspective on the rovibrational analysis of MP isomers by taking advantage of two complementary devices combining jet-cooled environments and absorption spectroscopy: the Jet-AILES and the SPIRALES setups. Based on Q-branch frequency positions measured in the Jet-AILES Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and guided by quantum chemistry calculations, we propose an extended vibrational and conformational analysis of the different MP isomers in their fingerprint region. Some modes such as far-IR out-of-plane –OH bending or mid-IR in-plane –CH bending allow us to assign individually all the stable conformers. Finally, using the SPIRALES setup with three different external cavity quantum cascade laser sources centered on the 930–990 cm−1 and the 1580–1690 cm−1 ranges, it was possible to proceed to the rovibrational analysis of the ν18 ring in-plane bending mode of the MP meta isomer providing a set of reliable excited state parameters, which confirms the correct assignment of two conformers. Interestingly, the observation of broad Q-branches without visible P- and R-branches in the region of the C–C ring stretching bands was interpreted as being probably due to a vibrational perturbation. These results highlight the complementarity of broadband FTIR and narrowband laser spectroscopic techniques to reveal the vibrational conformational signatures of atmospheric compounds over a large infrared spectral range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its potential role as an atmospheric pollutant, thionyl chloride, SOCl2, remains poorly characterized in the gas phase. In this study, the pure rotational and ro-vibrational spectra of six isotopologues of this molecule, all detected in natural abundance, have been extensively studied from the cm-wave band to the far-infrared region by means of three complementary techniques: chirped-pulse Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy, sub-millimeter-wave spectroscopy using frequency multiplier chain, and synchrotron-based far-infrared spectroscopy. Owing to the complex line pattern which results from two nuclei with non-zero spins, new, high-level quantum-chemical calculations of the hyperfine structure played a crucial role in the spectroscopic analysis. From the combined experimental and theoretical work, an accurate semi-experimental equilibrium structure (rSEe ) of SOCl2 has been derived. With the present data, spectroscopy-based methods can now be applied with confidence to detect and monitor this species, either by remote sensing or in situ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are highly relevant for astrophysics as possible, though controversial, carriers of the unidentified infrared emission bands that are observed in a number of different astronomical objects. In support of radio-astronomical observations, high resolution laboratory spectroscopy has already provided the rotational spectra in the vibrational ground state of several molecules of this type, although the rotational study of their dense infrared (IR) bands has only recently become possible using a limited number of experimental set-ups. To date, all of the rotationally resolved data have concerned unperturbed spectra. We presently report the results of a high resolution study of the three lowest vibrational states of quinoline C9H7N, an N-bearing naphthalene derivative. While the pure rotational ground state spectrum of quinoline is unperturbed, severe complications appear in the spectra of the v45 and v44 vibrational modes (located at about 168 cm-1 and 178 cm-1, respectively). In order to study these effects in detail, we employed three different and complementary experimental techniques: Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy, millimeter-wave spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform far-infrared spectroscopy with a synchrotron radiation source. Due to the high density of states in the IR spectra of molecules as large as PAHs, perturbations in the rotational spectra of excited states should be ubiquitous. Our study identifies for the first time this effect and provides some insights into an appropriate treatment of such perturbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. New laboratory investigations of the rotational spectrum of postulated astronomical species are essential to support the assignment and analysis of current astronomical surveys. In particular, considerable interest surrounds sulfur analogs of oxygen-containing interstellar molecules and their isomers. Aims. To enable reliable interstellar searches of vinyl mercaptan, the sulfur-containing analog to the astronomical species vinyl alcohol, we investigated its pure rotational spectrum at millimeter wavelengths. Methods. We extended the pure rotational investigation of the two isomers syn and anti vinyl mercaptan to the millimeter domain using a frequency-multiplication spectrometer. The species were produced by a radiofrequency discharge in 1,2-ethanedithiol. Additional transitions were remeasured in the centimeter band using Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy to better determine rest frequencies of transitions with low-J and low-Ka values. Experimental investigations were supported by quantum chemical calculations on the energetics of both the [C2,H4,S] and [C2,H4,O] isomeric families. Interstellar searches for both syn and anti vinyl mercaptan as well as vinyl alcohol were performed in the EMoCA spectral line survey carried out toward Sgr B2(N2) with ALMA. Results. Highly accurate experimental frequencies (to better than 100 kHz accuracy) for both syn and anti isomers of vinyl mercaptan are measured up to 250 GHz; these deviate considerably from predictions based on extrapolation of previous microwave measurements. Reliable frequency predictions of the astronomically most interesting millimeter-wave lines for these two species can now be derived from the best-fit spectroscopic constants. From the energetic investigations, the four lowest singlet isomers of the [C2,H4,S] family are calculated to be nearly isoenergetic, which makes this family a fairly unique test bed for assessing possible reaction pathways. Upper limits for the column density of syn and anti vinyl mercaptan are derived toward the extremely molecule-rich star-forming region Sgr B2(N2) enabling comparison with selected complex organic molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas phase absorption far-infrared (FIR) spectra of six flexible hydrocarbon molecules containing two phenyl groups –biphenyl, diphenylmethane, bibenzyl and 2-, 3-, 4-phenyltoluene– are reported for the first time, allowing an accurate determination of most of their active low-frequency vibrational modes. DFT calculations have been carried out at the harmonic and perturbative anharmonic levels to predict the vibrational spectra of these molecules and unambiguously assign observed vibrational modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both emission and absorption techniques have been developed at the AILES beamline of SOLEIL synchrotron to record far infrared (FIR) spectra of transient species. To illustrate the possibilities offered by our absorption set-up, we report in this paper new rotational transitions of the SO radical falling in the spectral range covered by the HIFI spectrometer onboard Herschel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. High-resolution rotational spectroscopy of the imidogen radical has been limited to the 14NH and 14ND isotopologues. Imidogen is an important intermediate in the astronomical synthesis of ammonia. Recently, the 14N/15N isotopic ratio in ammonia has been obtained in cold, dense molecular clouds. Aims. We conducted a laboratory search for rotational transitions of 15NH to investigate in more detail the 14N/15N ratio in the interstellar medium. Methods. 15NH was generated in a positive column discharge in a flowing 15NH3 - He (SOLEIL synchrotron) or 15NH3 -Ar (PhLAM) mixture. High-resolution spectroscopic study of the 15NH isotopologue of imidogen in its ground electronic and vibrational state (X∼ 3Σ -) was carried out in the THz range (up to 225 cm-1) with the AILES beamline of the SOLEIL synchrotron and subsequently with the PhLAM spectrometer (around 942 GHz). The observed fine and hyperfine structures were analysed, yielding an accurate set of rotational, fine, and hyperfine parameters. Results. The reported frequencies and molecular constants are suitable for radioastronomical searches of this key species and for 14N/15N isotopic ratio astronomical determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental far-infrared (FIR) spectroscopy of transient species (unstable molecules, free radicals, and ions) has been limited so far in both emission and absorption (mainly by the low probability of spontaneous emission in that spectral range and the low brightness of continuum sources used for absorption measurements, respectively). Nevertheless, the FIR spectral range recently became of high astrophysical relevance thanks to several new observational platforms (HERSCHEL, ALMA...) dedicated to the study of this region suitable for the detection of the emission from cold objects of the interstellar medium. In order to complete the experimental dataset concerning transient species, three discharge experiments dedicated to the recording of high resolution FIR spectra of radicals have been developed at the Advanced Infrared Line Exploited for Spectroscopy (AILES) which extracts the bright FIR synchrotron continuum of the synchrotron facility SOLEIL. These experiments make use of a high resolution (R = 0.001 cm-1) Bruker IFS125 Fourier transform (FT) spectrometer. An emission setup (allowing to record spectra of radicals excited at high rotational and vibrational temperatures) and two absorption setups (exploiting the bright synchrotron source at the highest resolution available on the FT) are alternatively connected to the FT. The advantages and limitations of these techniques are discussed on the basis of the recent results obtained on OH and CH radicals. These results constitute the first FIR spectra of radicals using synchrotron radiation, and the first FIR spectrum of a C-bearing radical using FT-spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to obtain accurate terahertz center frequencies for SO and its isotopologues, we have studied the absorption spectrum of SO, 34SO, and 33SO up to 2.5 THz using continuous-wave terahertz photomixing based on a frequency comb providing an accuracy down to 10 kHz. Sulfur monoxide was produced in a radio frequency discharge of air in a cell containing pure sulfur. Together with the strong absorption signal of the main isotopologue, transitions of 34SO (34S: 4.21%) and 33SO (33S: 0.75%) were observed in natural abundance. The newly observed transitions constitute an extension of the observed rotational quantum numbers of the molecule toward higher N values, allowing an improvement of the molecular parameters for the three species. An isotopically invariant fit has been performed based on pure rotational and ro-vibrational transitions of all SO isotopologues, enabling their accurate line position prediction at higher frequencies. Thanks to this new set of parameters, it is now possible to predict with very high accuracy the frequencies of the ro-vibrational lines. This should enable the research of SO in the mid-IR using ground-based IR telescopes, space-based telescope archives (Infrared Space Observatory, Spitzer), and future space missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope. This set of parameters is particularly well adapted for the detection of SO lines in O-rich evolved stars or in molecular clouds in absorption against bright IR sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]