MICROWAVE-SPECTRUM OF THE CHF2 RADICAL IN THE (2)A' GROUND ELECTRONIC-STATE - FLUORINE HYPERFINE-STRUCTURE ALTERNATION IN INVERSION LEVELS

The rotational spectrum of the difluoromethyl radical was observed by microwave spectroscopy. Many b-type R and Q branch transitions accompa nied with hyperfine structures due to fluorine and hydrogen nuclei wer e detected in the 100-400 GHz range. A preliminary analysis of the rot ational transitions with I-F = 0 and 1, where I-F = I(F-1) + I(F-2), r esulted in finding fluorine hyperfine structure alternation for invers ion levels: I-F = 0 or 1 components of a particular rotational level c orrespond to the plus or minus inversion level, depending on the symme try of the rotational level. The rotational constants and centrifugal distortion constants in both inversion levels were determined by a lea st-squares analysis for the hypothetical rotational transition frequen cies. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.