HYDROGEN-CYANIDE N-METHYLIDE - PREPARATIO N, SPECTROSCOPIC IDENTIFICATION, AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER C2H3N ISOMERS

With the intention of isolating IH-azirene (8) we studied several prec ursors which should offer an entry into the C2H3N potential energy hyp ersurface. It was found that in addition to the known isomers 1, 2, 3, and 6 hydrogen cyanide N-methylide (5) - and probably aminoacetylene (4) - can be detected in an argon matrix at 10 K. No spectroscopic evi dence for the formation of 1H-azirene (8) was found. In other words, t he first six members 1-6 are now all identified. The elucidation of th e structure of the new C2H3N species is based on the comparison of the observed IR spectra with those calculated by ab initio methods.