Synthesis, microwave spectrum, and conformational equilibrium of propa-1,2-dienethiol (H(2)=C=CHSH)

Rotational Spectrum, Conformational Composition, Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding, and Quantum Chemical Calculations of Mercaptoacetonitrile (HSCH2C≡N), a Compound of Potential Astrochemical Interest

The microwave spectra of mercaptoacetonitrile (HSCH2C≡N) and one deuterated species (DSCH2C≡N) were investigated in the 7.5-124 GHz spectral interval. The spectra of two conformers denoted SC and AP were assigned. The H-S-C-C chain of atoms is synclinal in SC and anti-periplanar in AP. The ground state of SC is split into two substates separated by a comparatively small energy difference resulting in closely spaced transitions with equal intensities. Several transitions of the parent species of SC deviate from Watson's Hamiltonian. Only slight improvements were obtained using a Hamiltonian that takes coupling between the two substates into account. Deviations from Watson's Hamiltonian were also observed for the parent species of AP. However, the spectrum of the deuterated species, which was investigated only for the SC conformer, fits satisfactorily to Watson's Hamiltonian. Relative intensity measurements found SC to be lower in energy than AP by 3.8(3) kJ/mol. The strength of the intramolecular hydrogen bond between the thiol and cyano groups was estimated to be ∼2.1 kJ/mol. The microwave work was augmented by quantum chemical calculations at CCSD and MP2 levels using basis sets of minimum triple-ζ quality. Mercaptoacetonitrile has astrochemical interest, and the spectra presented herein should be useful for a potential identification of this compound in the interstellar medium. Three different ways of generating mercaptoacetonitrile from compounds already found in the interstellar medium were explored by quantum chemical calculations.

Microwave and Quantum Chemical Study of the Hydrazino Group as Proton Donor in Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding of (2-Fluoroethyl)hydrazine (FCH2CH2NHNH2)

The microwave spectrum of (2-fluoroethyl)hydrazine (FCH2CH2NHNH2) was studied in the 11-123 GHz spectral region to investigate the ability of the hydrazino group to form intramolecular hydrogen bonds acting as a proton donor. This group can participate both in five-member and in six-member internal hydrogen bonds with the fluorine atom. The spectra of four conformers were assigned, and the rotational and centrifugal distortion constants of these rotameric forms were determined. Two of these conformers have five-member intramolecular hydrogen bonds, while the two other forms are without this interaction. The internal hydrogen bonds in the two hydrogen-bonded forms are assumed to be mainly electrostatic in origin because the N-H and C-F bonds are nearly parallel and the associated bond moments are antiparallel. This is the first example of a gas-phase study of a hydrazine where the hydrazino functional group acts as a proton donor in weak intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Extensive quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP/cc-pVTZ, MP2/cc-pVTZ, and CCSD/cc-pVQZ levels of theory accompanied and guided the experimental work. These calculations predict the existence of no less than 18 conformers, spanning a CCSD internal energy range of 15.4 kJ/mol. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds are predicted to be present in seven of these conformers. Three of these forms have six-member hydrogen bonds, while four have five-member hydrogen bonds. The three lowest-energy conformers have five-member internal hydrogen bonds. The spectrum of the conformer with the lowest energy was not assigned because it has a very small dipole moment. The CCSD relative energies of the two hydrogen-bonded rotamers whose spectra were assigned are 1.04 and 1.62 kJ/mol, respectively, whereas the relative energies of the two conformers with assigned spectra and no hydrogen bonds have relative energies of 6.46 and 4.89 kJ/mol.