THE ROTATIONAL SPECTRUM AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF CHLORINE CHLORATE

Cl2O3 has been identified as a product of the ClO + OClO + M reaction at 220 K using submillimeter spectroscopy of the reaction products in a flowing gas mixture. The spectra of all four Cl isotopic species have been observed in the 415-436 GHz region. Selected transitions have also been measured at frequencies down to 209 GHz. The rotational and centrifugal distortion constants have been determined for all four species. The quadrupole splittings have been fitted for the main species. Structural parameters similar to those of other chlorine oxides have been derived from the rotational constants. These and the quadrupole coupling constants are consistent with those expected from a chlorine chlorate structure with no planes of symmetry. Structures which satisfy the requirement inferred from published infrared data that the Cl=O bonds must be shorter than those in OClO must all have long single bonds between the ClO and OClO portions of the molecule. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.