Photolysis (λ > 472 nm) of 2-diazo-3-pentyne (11) affords triplet 1,3-dimethylpropynylidene (MeC3Me, (3)3), which was characterized spectroscopically in cryogenic matrices. The infrared, electronic absorption, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of MeC3Me ((3)3) are compared with those of the parent system (HC3H) to ascertain the effect of alkyl substituents on delocalized carbon chains of this type. Quantum chemical calculations (CCSD(T)/ANO1) predict an unsymmetrical equilibrium structure for triplet MeC3Me ((3)3), but they also reveal a very shallow potential energy surface. The experimental IR spectrum of triplet MeC3Me ((3)3) is best interpreted in terms of a quasilinear, axially symmetric structure. EPR spectra yield zero-field splitting parameters that are typical for triplet carbenes with axial symmetry (|D/hc| = 0.63 cm(-1), |E/hc| = ∼ 0 cm(-1)), while theoretical analysis suggests that the methyl substituents confer significant spin polarization to the carbon chain. Upon irradiation into the near-UV electronic absorption (λmax 350 nm), MeC3Me ((3)3) undergoes 1,2-hydrogen migration to yield pent-1-en-3-yne (4), a photochemical reaction that is typical of carbenes bearing a methyl substituent. This facile process apparently precludes photoisomerization to other interesting C5H6 isomers, in contrast to the rich photochemistry of the parent C3H2 system.

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Phenyl isocyanate (PhNCO) has been studied in the frequency range of 250-360 GHz, improving on rotational and centrifugal distortion constants based on previous spectroscopic studies between 4.7 and 40 GHz. ab Using the rigid rotor/centrifugal distortion model, many transitions have been assigned for the ground state (approximately 2200 transitions) and the fundamental of the-NCO torsional vibration (approximately 1500 transitions) for J values ranging between 140 and 210 and K prolate values from 0 to 42. Beyond these K values, these two spectra show effects of perturbations with other vibrational states. Vibrational energy levels and vibration-rotation interaction constants were predicted using CFOUR at the CCSD(T)/ANO0 level. The two lowest energy excited vibrational modes are predicted to have energies of 47 cm −1 (-NCO torsion) and 95 cm −1 (in-plane-NCO wag). Fermi resonance between the first overtone of the-NCO torsional vibration (94 cm −1) and the fundamental of the in-plane-NCO wag has been observed in the spectra of these two states. Analysis for vibrationally excited states up to 190 cm −1 is in progress.

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