Laser and Fourier transform spectroscopy of gas phase molecules.

Laser and Fourier transform spectroscopy were used to study a variety of gas phase molecules. A series of calcium and strontium monoalkoxides, CaOR and SrOR [R=H, CH₃, CH₂CH₃, CH(CH₃)₂, CH₂CH₂CH₃, CH₂(CH₂)₂CH₃, CH₂(CH₃)CH₂CH₃ and C(CH₃)₃] was studied by laser induced fluorescence and laser excitation techniques. The A - X and B - X electronic transitions were recorded. Calcium and strontium monocyclopentadienide, CaCp and SrCp, were produced in a Broida oven and the spectra were recorded at low resolution by laser techniques. The geometry of these molecules is like an "open-faced sandwich", with C₅ᵥ symmetry. The A²Π - X²Σ⁺ and B²Σ⁺ - X²Σ⁺ transitions of calcium and strontium monoisocyanate, CaNCO and SrNCO, were recorded for the first time. The spectra are interpreted as arising from a molecule with linear, ionic Sr⁺ - ⁻NCO structure. The 0-0 band of the A - X transition of SrNCO was recorded at high resolution and rotationally analyzed. The use of a 0.64 m monochromator, acting as a narrow bandpass filter, was necessary for recording the spectra and enabled the correct assignment of the rotational lines. By comparing the molecular constants of SrNCO with related molecules, the NCO⁻ ligand was found to be nitrogen bonding to the strontium atom. The Sr-N bond length was estimated to be 2.26 A in the ground state. The rotational analysis of the 0-0 band of the A²E₁/₂ - X²A₁ transition of the SrOCH₃ free radical has been carried out by laser excitation spectroscopy. The SrOCH₃ molecule was found to have C₃ᵥ symmetry with a Sr-O bond length of 2.12 A. There was no evidence of a Jahn-Teller effect in the A²E state. This work is the first high-resolution analysis of a metal alkoxide molecule. The rotationally cool (30 K) spectrum of the 0-0 vibrational band of the A²Δ - X²Π electronic transition for the diatomic free radical CCl was recorded using a Fourier transform spectrometer. The first rotational lines of the six strongest branches were observed, and transitions in three other branches were also detected. The CCl radical was produced in a corona-excited supersonic expansion source