The quantum solid para-hydrogen (p-H2) has recently proven useful in matrix isolation spectroscopy. Spectral lines of compounds embedded in this host are unusually narrow, and several species have been reported to rotate in p-H2. We found that a p-H2 matrix inhibits rotation of isolated methanol (CH3OH) but still allows internal rotation about the C-O bond, with splittings of the E/A torsional doublet in internal rotation-coupled vibrational modes that are qualitatively consistent with those for CH3OH in the gaseous phase. This simplified high-resolution spectrum further revealed the slow conversion of nuclear spin symmetry from species E to species A in the host matrix, offering potential insight into nuclear spin conversion in astrophysical sources.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.