Structure and conformation of bis(methylthio)methane, (MeS)(2)CH2, determined by gas-phase electron diffractiom and ab initio methods

The gas-phase structure and conformational properties of bis(methylthio)met hane, (MeS)(2)CH2, have been determined by electron diffraction, augmented by results from ab initio molecular orbital calculations. The molecule was found to exist in the gas phase at similar to 100 degrees C, predominantly in the G(+)G(+) form (70(18)%), where the CH3 groups an on opposite sides o f the SCS plane, with a smaller contribution from the GA form in the confor mational mixture. The main conformer possesses C-2 symmetry with a dihedral angle phi(CSCS) of 54(6)degrees, The second conformer has C-1 symmetry wit h CSCS dihedral angles of 74 degrees and 186 degrees (ab initio values). As suming entropy differences between the two conformers as obtained from MP3/ 6-311+G(d) calculations (Delta S = R In 2 + 2.72 cal mol(-1) K-1), this com position corresponds to an enthalpy difference of Delta H = 2.2(6) kcal mol (-1). The corresponding ab initio/DFT enthalpy difference values at 373 K a re 1.49 kcal mol(-1) (HF), 2.38 kcal mol(-1) (MP2), and 2.15 kcal mol(-1) ( B3LYP). The results for the main distances (r(g)) and angles (angle(alpha)) from the combined GED/ab initio (HF/6-311+G(d)) study of the G(+)G(+) form of (MeS)(2)CH2 (with estimated 2 sigma uncertainties) are r(C-CH3-S) = 1.8 05(2) Angstrom, r(C-CH2-S) 1.806(2) Angstrom, r(C-CH3-H) = 1.108(5) Angstro m, r(C-CH2-H) = 1.098(5) Angstrom, angle(C-S-C)= 102.8(24)degrees, angle(S- C-S)= 115.9(3)degrees, angle(H-C-CH2-H) = 107.5 degrees (ab initio), and an gle(S-C-CH3-H) = 108.9 degrees (ab initio).