We report on the detection of the (10(0)1) ← (00(0)0) vibrational band of gas-phase C3 and the two of its mono (13)C substituted isotopologs in the infrared region around 3200 cm(-1). Additionally, the associated hot band (11(1)1) ← (01(1)0) has been assigned for the parent isotopolog. Spectra have been recorded using a supersonic jet spectrometer with a laser ablation source in combination with a continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator as radiation source. High-level quantum-chemical ab initio calculations have been performed and used to assist the assignment. A combined fit for the vibrational states of C3 found in this study has been done together with previously reported high-resolution data to increase the accuracy of the molecular parameters, especially for the ground state. The vibrational energies are 3260.126, 3205.593, and 3224.751 cm(-1) for the (10(0)1) state of C3, (12)C(13)C(12)C, and (13)C(12)C(12)C, respectively. The (11(1)1) state of C3 has been found to be at 3330.509 cm(-1).

The ν lowest bending mode of linear C and of all its C-substituted isotopologues was recorded using a terahertz-supersonic jet spectrometer in combination with a laser ablation source. Sixty-five ro-vibrational transitions between 1.8 and 1.9 THz have been assigned to linear C12C12C12, C12C12C13, C12C13C12, C13C13C12, C13C12C13, and C13C13C13. For each isotopologue, molecular parameters were obtained and the C-C-bond length was derived experimentally. All results are in excellent agreement with recent ab initio calculations [B. Schröder and P. Sebald, J. Chem. Phys. 144, 044307 (2016)]. The new measurements explain why the interstellar search for singly substituted C12C12C13 has failed so far. A spectral line list with recommended transition frequencies based on global data fits is given to foster future interstellar detections.

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Guided by high-level quantum-chemical calculations at the CCSD(T) level of theory, the first polyatomic germanium-carbon cluster, linear Ge2C3, has been observed at high spectral resolution in the gas phase through its remarkably complex fundamental antisymmetric C-C stretching mode ν3 located at 1932 cm(-1). The observation of a total of six isotopic species permits the derivation of a highly accurate value for the equilibrium Ge-C bond length. The present study suggests that many more Ge-C species might be detectable in the future using a combination of laser-ablation techniques for production and high-resolution infrared and/or microwave techniques for spectroscopic detection.