The ground electronic state of 1,2-dichloroethane I. Ab initio investigation of the geometrical, vibrational and torsional structure

Abstract

The trans and gauche isomers of 1,2-dichloroethane are characterized using ab initio calculations at the MP4(SDQ) level of theory with the full double zeta polarized D95** basis set. The molecular geometry parameters, the torsion potential and the harmonic frequency of the normal modes of vibrations are calculated. The integrated intensity and the rotational type of the infrared fundamental bands also are determined. New labelling of the normal modes of vibration is introduced for the gauche isomer. The relative abundance and stability of both isomers are discussed. The torsional motion is investigated by means of an effective model taking the geometrical relaxation into account and leading to a theoretical torsional spectrum.