Detection of isomers in the interstellar medium is a valuable tool towards a better understanding of chemical dynamics in astrophysical environments. The minimum energy principle, which postulates a correlation between thermodynamic stability and molecular abundance in space, was proposed as a powerful method for predicting which isomers will be discovered in space. However, numerous cases showing a clear deviation from this rule have been put forward; examples which highlight the lack of consideration into the chemical kinetics, which can play an even larger role than thermodynamic syability. Despite the fact that approximately a third of the interstellar species discovered so far are isomers, little is known regarding transient isomers of relatively large astrophysical species (5 atoms and more), in part due to the difficulties involved in both producing and detecting these species in the laboratory. Ketene (CH2CO) is one such species: the molecule is a known interstellar species, and theoretical calculations predict the existence of four isomers, none of which have yet been detected by rotational spectroscopy, thus preventing their interstellar detection. Appropriately, we have undertaken an experimental characterization of the two closed-shell isomers of ketene, hydroxyacetylene (HCCOH) and oxirene (c-C2H2O), from the centimeter to the submillimeter-wave domain. We will report the spectroscopic investigation of these compounds using a recently developed experimental technique, spectral taxonomy, and its prospects as a powerful tool to investigate isomers of astrophysical interest in the millimeter and submillimeter domains.

Spectroscopic characterization of astrophysical isomers: The relatives of ketene

256th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.