A pyrolysis jet spectroscopic study of the rotationally resolved electronic spectrum of dichlorocarbene

The rotationally resolved, gas phase vibronic spectrum of dichlorocarbene has been recorded using the technique of pyrolysis jet spectroscopy. The rovibronic analysis has established the band origin of the à 1B1–X̃ 1A1 electronic transition to be at 17 255.67 cm−1. The observed vibrational frequencies in the ground and excited states are very close to published values from matrix isolation data. The excited state structure has a 131.4° ClCCl angle and a 1.652 Å CCl bond length.