Neutron diffraction studies of liquid carbon suboxide

Abstract

The structure factor S _m(Q) for liquid carbon suboxide has been determined for a Q-value range of 0·4 to 60 Å^-1 by neutron diffraction measurements using a steady-state (reactor) and a pulsed (linac) neutron source. The bond lengths of the molecule have been determined from the data and give good agreement with the results of electron diffraction measurements on the vapour phase after application of a molecular recoil correction term. The quasi-linear nature of the molecule is confirmed but the shape of the form factor indicates that large amplitude bending motion probably occurs in the liquid phase.

Oscillations in the intermolecular pair correlation function are observed to have a regular periodicity extending to 12 Å but details of orientational effects cannot be established from a single diffraction measurement.