THE STRUCTURE OF 2,2-DIMETHYLOXIRANE OBTAINED BY MICROWAVE SPECTROSCOPY - A COMPARISON OF OXIRANES AND THIIRANES

The microwave spectra of the heavy atom isotopomers of 2,2-dimethyloxi rane, (CH3)(2)COCH2, were observed in natural abundance using a molecu lar beam Fourier transform-microwave spectrometer (MB-FTMW). The rotat ional constants were obtained and structures were derived using the r( s), r(0), and r(Delta 0) methods. The r, (C-C) bond length in the ring is 1.444(6) Angstrom, the r(s)(C-O) bond lengths are 1.437(2) and 1.4 19(7) Angstrom, and the C(ring)-C(methyl) distance is 1.522(3) Angstro m. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.