Knowledge Bank

In separate experiments the molecules SbN, SbP, SbF and SbCl have been prepared by laser ablating antimony metal in the presence of $NH3,PH3,SF6$ or $Cl2$, respectively. Their pure rotational spectra have been measured with a cavity pulsed jet Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. Hyperfine structure in the rotational spectra of these molecules has led to the determination of the $\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">121</mrow>}Sb$ and $\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">123</mrow>}Sb$ nuclear quadrupole coupling constants in all four molecules for the first time. This in turn has enabled the electronic structures of the Sb-pnictides and Sb-halides to be compared and contrasted. The measurement of the respective rotational constants has provided highly precise internuclear distances.