Infra-red spectrum, structure and properties of the N₂-Ar van der Waals molecule

Abstract

The first spectroscopic observation of bound N₂-Ar van der Waals molecules has been achieved with a cryogenic long path cell maintained at 87 K. The infra-red spectrum exhibits prominent fine structure near the N₂ stretching frequency which is assigned to hindered internal rotation of N₂ within the weakly bound complex. An analysis of this fine structure yields a T-shaped equilibrium geometry in which the N₂ bond axis is perpendicular to the N₂-Ar van der Waals bond axis. The observed spectrum is shown to be consistent with an internal rotational barrier of 20 cm^-1 (57 cal/mole). Approximately 20 per cent of the bound species are trapped by this rotational barrier and acquire a locked semi-rigid structure. The remaining 80 per cent have ill-defined geometry and undergo hindered internal rotation. The rotational envelope of an infra-red fundamental is analysed to give an estimate of the N₂-Ar bond length as 3·9 Å.