Far-infrared spectrum and structure of copper monocarbonyl isolated in solid argon

The vibrational spectrum of ground-state CuCO isolated in solid argon at lo w temperature has been reinvestigated, in addition to the strongly infrared (IR) absorbing mode, nu(1), already observed, the low-frequency metal-liga nd stretching and bending modes nu(2) and nu(3) have been measured in the f ar-IR region. With the help of various isotopic substitutions using (CuCO)- C-12-O-16 (CuCO)-C-13-O-16 and (CuCO)-C-12-O-18 and harmonic force-field ca lculations based on the assumption of linear and bent geometries, some of t he molecular parameters (bond force constants and valence angle) can be est imated and compared with theoretical predictions and to those derived for N iCO. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.