High resolution spectroscopy of 1,2-difluoroethane in a molecular beam: A case study of vibrational mode-coupling

The high resolution infrared spectrum of 1,2-difluoroethane (DFE) in a molecular beam has been obtained over the 2978–2996 cm−1 spectral region. This region corresponds to the symmetric combination of asymmetric C–H stretches in DFE. Observed rotational fine structure indicates that this C–H stretch is undergoing vibrational mode coupling to a single dark mode. The dark mode is split by approximately 19 cm−1 due to tunneling between the two identical gauche conformers. The mechanism of the coupling is largely anharmonic with a minor component of B/C plane Coriolis coupling. Effects of centrifugal distortion along the molecular A-axis are also observed. Analysis of the fine structure identifies the dark state as being composed of C–C torsion, CCF bend, and CH2 rock. Coupling between the C–H stretches and the C–C torsion is of particular interest because DFE has been observed to undergo vibrationally induced isomerization from the gauche to trans conformer upon excitation of the C–H stretch.