An Electron Diffraction Investigation of the Molecular Structure of Butatriene.

The electron diffraction sector method was used to determine the structure of the butatriene molecule in the vapour phase. The error limits of all the parameters are approximately + or 0.005 angstroms. As in several other molecules with linear equilibrium conformation, a shrinkage effect is observed; i.e. the observed non bonded CC distances are a trifle shorter than that calculated from the sum of the individual bond distances. The effect is explained by outof-linearity vibrations. (Author)