THE ROTATIONAL SPECTRUM AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF CHLORINE CHLORATE

Cl2O3 has been identified as a product of the ClO + OClO + M reaction at 220 K using submillimeter spectroscopy of the reaction products in a flowing gas mixture. The spectra of all four Cl isotopic species hav e been observed in the 415-436 GHz region. Selected transitions have a lso been measured at frequencies down to 209 GHz. The rotational and c entrifugal distortion constants have been determined for all four spec ies. The quadrupole splittings have been fitted for the main species. Structural parameters similar to those of other chlorine oxides have b een derived from the rotational constants. These and the quadrupole co upling constants are consistent with those expected from a chlorine ch lorate structure with no planes of symmetry. Structures which satisfy the requirement inferred from published infrared data that the Cl=O bo nds must be shorter than those in OClO must all have long single bonds between the ClO and OClO portions of the molecule. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.