As an expansion of our work in studying the effects of changes in electron distribution upon van der Waals complex formation between fluorine substituted ethylenes and acids, we have examined how the structures of these complexes change when fluorine atoms are replaced by the less electronegative, but more polarizable chlorine atom.  The rotational spectra of the complexes formed between HF and vinyl chloride, 1-chloro-1-fluoroethylene, (E)-1-chloro-2-fluoroethylene, and (E)-1-chloro-1,2-difluoroethylene are collected using a pulsed molecular beam, Fourier transform microwave spectrometer in the 6 � 22 GHz region.  The structures, derived from the spectroscopic constants and supported by ab initio calculations, show that at least for this series of complexes, the hydrogen bond is preferentially made to a fluorine atom in the ethylene when available even at the expense of a favorable steric interaction.

Comparing the effects of fluorine and chlorine substitution on the intermolecular interactions in complexes between haloethylenes and hydrogen fluoride

244th National Meeting (2012)

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