Gas phase Raman scattering cross sections of benzene and perdeuterated benzene

Depolarization ratios and Raman scattering differential cross sections of the Raman active fundamental bands of gas phase C6H6 and C6D6 are reported. These quantities are first reduced to derivatives of the molecular polarizability with respect to symmetry coordinates, and then these derivatives are interpreted in terms of bond properties, proving that the bond polarizability concept is as useful for aromatic systems as for other smaller nonaromatic molecules.