Molecular structure of 6-(N,N-dimethylamino)fulvene from a joint gas-phase electron diffraction and quantum-chemical study.

The molecular structure of 6-(N,N-dimethylamino)fulvene was studied by gas-phase electron diffraction and quantum-chemical methods (HF/6-31G(d), MP2/3Z, MP2/4Z, density functional theory with the B3LYP/6-31G(d) and PBE/3Z functionals). Pronounced flattening of the nitrogen atom and equalization of the intracyclic C—C bonds were found to be a consequence of the electron delocalization in the molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]