Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.106, No.15, 6240-6247, 1997
Determination of the Structure of HBr Dr
We have investigated the structure and dynamics of the weakly bound complex of the four bromine isotopomers of HBr DBr, using pulsed-jet Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. In addition, the equilibrium geometry, intermolecular energy, and vibrational force constants for the dimer have been calculated at the MP2 level using a large basis set containing bond functions. In the hydrogen halide dimers, allowed transitions are across the inversion doublet caused by the geared interchange of the donor and acceptor of the hydrogen bond. While in the classic study of (HF)(2)(1) it was observed that this splitting results in an inversion frequency in the microwave region of the spectrum, in (HCl)(2) and (HBr)(2) that the lower inversion barrier, results in an inversion frequency in the infrared. In order to investigate the hydrogen bromide dimer with the high precision allowed by an FT microwave experiment, we have "quenched" the inversion motion by substituting deuterium for one of the hydrogens. The Br-Br distance in the complex is 4.136 Angstrom. Using measurements of the nuclear quadrupole coupling constants of the bromine nuclei, the wide amplitude bending motions of the hydrogen-bonded deuterium have been determined as have the wide amplitude bending angle of the nonbonding hydrogen atom. The Br-Br-D angle undergoes excursions of 28 degrees about zero, and the H-Br-Br angle oscillates 25 degrees about its 90 degrees equilibrium angle.
Keywords:POTENTIAL-ENERGY SURFACES;HYDROGEN-FLUORIDE DIMER;HCL DIMER;INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY;SPECTRUM;LIF(001);AR;PHOTODISSOCIATION;HALIDES;OCS