The gas-phase Raman spectra of 1,3-butadiene and its 2,3-d(2), 1,1,4,4-d(4), and -d(6) isotopologues have been recorded with high sensitivity in the region below 350 cm(-1) in order to investigate the internal rotation (torsional) vibration. Based on more accurate structural information, the internal rotor constants F(n) were calculated as a function of rotation angle (ϕ). The data for all the isotopologues were then fit using a one-dimensional potential energy function of the form V = (1)/(2)∑V(n)(1 - cos ϕ). Initial V(n) values were based on those generated from theoretical calculations. The agreement between observed and calculated frequencies is very good, although bands not taken into account were present in the spectra. The energy difference between the trans and gauche forms was determined to be about 1030 cm(-1) (2.94 kcal/mol), and the barrier between the two equivalent gauche forms was determined to be about 180 cm(-1) (0.51 kcal/mol), which agrees well with high-level ab initio calculations. An alternative set of assignments also fits the data quite well for all of the isotopologues. For this model, the energy difference between the trans and gauche forms is about 1080 cm(-1) (3.09 kcal/mol), and the barrier between gauche forms is about 405 cm(-1) (1.16 kcal/mol).

A quantum-mechanical (hybrid MP2/cc-pVTZ and CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ) full quartic potential energy surface (PES) in rectilinear normal coordinates and the second-order operator canonical Van Vleck perturbation theory (CVPT2) are employed to predict the anharmonic vibrational spectra of s-trans- and s-gauche-butadiene (BDE). These predictions are used to interpret their infrared and Raman scattering spectra. New high-temperature Raman spectra in the gas phase are presented in support of assignments for the gauche conformer. The CVPT2 solution is based on a PES and electro-optical properties (EOP; dipole moment and polarizability) expanded in Taylor series. Higher terms than those routinely available from Gaussian09 software were calculated by numerical differentiation of quadratic force fields and EOP using the MP2/cc-pVTZ model. The integer coefficients of the polyad quantum numbers were derived for both conformers of BDE. Replacement of harmonic frequencies by their counterparts from the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ model significantly improved the agreement with experimental data for s-trans-BDE (root-mean-square deviation ≈ 5.5 cm(-1)). The accuracy in predicting the rather well-studied spectrum of fundamentals of s-trans-BDE assures good predictions of the spectrum of s-gauche-BDE. A nearly complete assignment of fundamentals was obtained for the gauche conformer. Many nonfundamental transitions of the BDE conformers were interpreted as well. The predictions of multiple Fermi resonances in the complex CH-stretching region correlate well with experiment. It is shown that solving a vibrational anharmonic problem through a numerical-analytic implementation of CVPT2 is a straightforward and computationally advantageous approach for medium-size molecules in comparison with the standard second-order vibrational perturbation theory (VPT2) based on analytic expressions.

The gas-phase Raman spectra of 1,3-butadiene and its 2,3-d(2),1,1,4,4-d(4) and d(6) isotopologues have been recorded using intense (6 W) green laser excitation and sensitive CCD detection. Hundreds of bands have been observed and assigned for each isotopologue. These spectra provide the best data to date for the s-trans conformer and also provide the first direct observation of the gas-phase Raman bands of the s-gauche conformer. Spectra recorded at elevated temperatures up to 250 °C for the d(0) and d(6) species help confirm the assignment of bands for the gauche rotamer. DFT computations were utilized to complement the studies. For the most part, the observed gas-phase gauche bands are in good agreement with previous matrix isolation studies. A best set of frequencies are reported for the fundamentals of the gauche rotamer of the d(0) and d(6) species.

We describe the use of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and collision-induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation techniques to examine the thermally induced cross-linking chemistry of dibenzocyclobutene (BCB) 2 − resorcinol-based materials. The overall goal was to gain a better understanding of benzocyclobutene ring-opening and the subsequent Diels−Alder cycloaddition reactions, which could assist in troubleshooting problems associated with unwanted side-product formation in these materials. Experimental results indicate that relative changes in average molecular mass (e.g., M n ) and signature side-product formation can be used to predict the optimum curing temperature used for cross-linking/polymerization. CID fragmentation studies identified two low kinetic energy degradation pathways for the BCB 2 −resorcinol-based oligomers examined in this study: (1) ether bond cleavage with an associated 1,3-hydrogen transfer and (2) transannular bond cleavage across the cyclooctadiene linkage. This information was used to develop a general fragmentation model for BCB 2 −resorcinol-based materials to predict their degradation products and verify their chemical connectivity.