MICROWAVE SPECTRUM AND STRUCTURE OF 2-CHLOROPROPIONITRILE

Abstract

Microwave spectrum of 2-chloropropionitrile, $CH_{3}CHClCN$, has been studied by a conventional Stark modulation microwave spectrometer. The spectrum was found to be strong and very dense, which consisted of strong b-type and weak a-and c-type transitions. The rotational, centrifugal distortion, and chlorine nuclear quadrupole coupling constants for the $^{35}Cl$ and $^{37}Cl$ species have been determined by a least squares fit to the observed transition frequencies. The molecular structure of 2-chloro-propionitrile has been determined so as to reproduce the observed rotational constants. The structural parameters were compared with those of other related molecules.