The torsional-wagging tunneling problem and the torsional-wagging-rotational problem in methylamine

Abstract

A theoretical formalism is presented for fitting rotational energy levels in isolated (unperturbed) vibrational states of methylamine. This formalism is obtained by recasting and extending theoretical studies in the earlier literature, which were undertaken to help analyze the methylamine microwave spectrum. The present formalism is applicable when both the NH 2 umbrella (wagging) motion and the CH 3 internal rotation (torsion) motion take place near the high-barrier limit and leads to the usual Fourier sine and cosine series expansions for molecular energy levels. The derivation is separated into two parts, one treating the large-amplitude vibrational problem (the torsional-wagging problem) by itself, the other treating the torsional-wagging-rotational problem. In both treatments, permutation-inversion group and extended group ideas are used to determine the allowed terms in an effective rotational-tunneling Hamiltonian operator and to block diagonalize the matrix representation of this operator for a near-prolate symmetric top. The resulting energy levels and selection rules are discussed, but application of the method in detail to the methylamine spectrum is planned for a later paper.