The methyl CH-stretching overtone spectra of gaseous monohydrogenated nitromethane NO2CHD2 have been recorded with conventional near infrared spectroscopy in the ΔvCH=1 to 4 regions and by intracavity laser photoacoustic spectroscopy in the ΔvCH=5 and 6 regions. They all exhibit a complex structure with, at ΔvCH=1 and 2, a characteristic asymmetric top vibration–rotation profile which vanishes as vibrational energy increases. These spectra have been analyzed with a theoretical model which takes into account in the adiabatic approximation the coupling between the anharmonic CH stretch described by a Morse potential and the quasifree internal rotation of the methyl group. All the parameters of this model (the zero point energy, the CH stretch frequency, the expansion coefficients of the dipole moment function) and their variation with the internal rotation coordinate have been determined from HF/6-31G** ab initio calculations. This simple calculation, which contains no adjustable parameters, successfully describes the relative intensity and frequency of each peak within a given overtone and accounts for the variation of the dipole moment function as the vibrational energy increases. Owing to the relative localization of the wave functions within the effective potential wells, the spectral features can be assigned to particular pseudoconformers. The outer bands correspond to rovibrational transitions associated with the parallel and perpendicular conformation of the CH bond versus the molecular plane, the central band is generated by ‘‘free rotor’’ rovibrational transitions. Fermi resonance phenomena lead to no sizeable IVR until the fifth overtone. The CH/CD interbond coupling shifts the overtone spectra toward high frequency and is responsible for some additional weaker features in the high overtone spectra (Δv=5 and 6).

The methyl CH stretching overtone spectra of gaseous nitromethane NO2CH3 have been recorded with Fourier transform infrared conventional near infrared spectroscopy in the ΔvCH=1–4 regions and by intracavity laser photoacoustic spectroscopy in the ΔvCH=5 and 6 regions. They all exhibit a complex structure with, at ΔvCH=1 and 2, a characteristic asymmetric top vibration-rotation profile which vanishes as vibrational energy increases. In addition, in these two lower energy spectra, the perpendicular stretching vibrations exhibit a widely spaced fine structure profile resulting from a Coriolis coupling induced by the methyl internal rotation. These excited spectra have been analyzed with a theoretical model which takes into account, in the adiabatic approximation, the coupling of the anharmonic CH stretch vibrations, described by a Morse potential, with the quasi-free internal rotation of the methyl group and with isoenergetic combination states involving methyl bending modes. Till Δv=3, the theoretical treatment yields normal modes. From the third overtone, the vibrational energy is seen to be localized and thus the calculations proceed in a local mode basis from Δv=4–6. Most of the parameters of this model and their variation with the internal rotation coordinate θ are the same as those used to account for the overtone spectra of the monohydrogenated species. Fermi resonance phenomena, also modeled with θ dependent parameters, lead to only weak IVR localized at the second overtone where only the two first tiers are effective and at the third overtone where three tiers must be considered to give a good reproduction of the experimental spectral features. This simple calculation successfully describes the relative intensity and frequency of each peak within a given overtone.

The excited vibrational states of gaseous cyclopentene 3-HCsD7 have been measured up to Av = 7. The second overtone presents essentially two main absorptions corresponding to two distinct conformers. The higher overtones are much perturbed by Fermi resonances with low-energy modes. The contribution of two types of couplings to the ring-puckering motion and to isoenergetic states involving low-energy modes are analyzed and modeled. Through the reconstruction of the spectra, the predominant pathways of the intramolecular vibrational redistribution of the energy (IVR) are discussed.

The vibrational structure of CH stretching states in gas-phase cyclohexene-3,3,6,6-d4 was studied using FTIR spectroscopy in the range 1200-1 1500 cm-1 and intracavity dye laser photoacoustic spectrometry in the range 12900-16000 cm-l. The structure was modeled using an effective vibrational Hamiltonian which describes the Fermi resonance couplings of the C H stretching states with suitable low-frequency vibrations. Some conclusions are made on the possible ways of intramolecular vibrational redistribution of the energy (IVR) on the two methylenic groups for wavenumbers below 1 1 000 cm-I in connection with the existence of near-infrared circular dichroism in monoterpenes.