MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF BISMUTH TRICHLORIDE FROM COMBINED ELECTRON-DIFFRACTION AND VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY

The results of an electron diffraction reanalysis, augmented with a co mbined electron diffraction and vibrational spectroscopic elucidation, of the molecular structure of BiCl3 are reported. The principal param eters are r(g)(Bi-Cl) = 2.424 +/- 0.005 Angstrom (r(alpha) = 2.417 +/- 0.005 Angstrom) and angle(alpha)Cl-Bi-Cl = 97.5 +/- 0.2 degrees. They are in excellent agreement with previous electron diffraction analysi s [1], utilizing a more limited data range from the same experiment. T hey are also fully consistent with the expected trends of geometrical variation in the Group V trihalide series. The force fields of BiCl3, determined by normal coordinate analysis and by combined analysis, agr ee within experimental error.