STRUCTURALLY MIXED MOLECULAR EIGENSTATES OF 5-FLUOROETHANOL RESULTINGFROM CONFORMATIONAL ISOMERIZATION

Using a newly developed method of molecular-beam, infrared-microwave s pectroscopy, we are able to measure the rotational spectrum of a singl e molecular eigenstate of the molecular Hamiltonian near 3000 cm(-1) o f energy above the ground rovibrational state. This energy lies above the barrier to conformation isomerization in many molecules. In the -C H2F asymmetric C-H stretch of the Gg conformer of 2-fluoroethanol, nea r 2983 cm(-1), we demonstrate the contribution of vibrational states l ocalized around the Tt conformer structural minimum to the individual molecular eigenstates. The measurement demonstrates the ability of iso lated molecules to use vibrational excitation to achieve geometrical r earrangement. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.