BROADBAND CHIRPED-PULSE FOURIER TRANSFORM MICROWAVE SPECTROSCOPY AND MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF THE ARGON-{\textit {(Z)}}-1-CHLORO-2-FLUOROETHYLENE COMPLEX

Abstract

A chirped-pulse Fourier transform microwave spectrometer is used to obtain the 6--18 GHz rotational spectrum of the gas-phase complex formed between argon and {\it (Z)}-1-chloro-2-fluoroethylene. Both the $^{35}$Cl and $^{37}$Cl isotopologues are observed in natural abundance, and analysis of these spectra provides predictions for both singly-substituted $^{13}$C species with sufficient precision to allow their observation with minimal searching using the more sensitive narrow band Balle-Flygare cavity technique. The non-planar structure of the complex is similar to previously observed argon-fluoroethylene complexes with the argon atom closer to the fluorine than to the chlorine. In contrast to the argon-vinyl chloride and argon-{\it cis}-1,2-difluoroethylene complexes, tunneling of the argon atom between the two equivalent, non-planar geometries is not observed.