DILUTE-SOLUTION FIELD GRADIENT INDUCED BIREFRINGENCE AND MOLECULAR QUADRUPOLE-MOMENT OF BENZENE

Improved equipment for measurements of dilute-solution field gradient induced birefringence, specifically a novel four-pole cell characterized by simplicity of design and applicability to reactive compounds under inert-atmosphere conditions, has been constructed and tested. A comparative study of the field gradient birefringence of benzene in three different cells (four-pole, monopole, and two-wire) and in two solvents (carbon tetrachloride and cyclohexane) is described, and a better value of the dilute-solution quadrupole moment of benzene (10(40)-theta/C m2 = -28.3 +/- 1.2) is reported.