Rotational Isomers of Chloroacetyl Chloride, Bromoacetyl Chloride, and Bromoacetyl Bromide

Abstract

The Raman spectra of chloroacetyl chloride, bromoacetyl chloride, and bromoacetyl bromide have been measured in the solid and liquid states. The infrared absorption spectra of these substances have also been measured in the liquid and the gaseous states. From the experimental results it has been concluded that there are two rotational isomers in the liquid and gaseous states and only one of them persists in the solid state. The temperature dependence of the intensity of the infrared absorption in the gaseous state has also been studied, and the energy difference between these two isomers has been found as 1.0±0.1 kcal/mol for bromoacetyl chloride and 1.9±0.3 kcal/mol for bromoacetyl bromide. The calculation of the normal vibrations and of the product rule has been made for various configurations of rotational isomers, and it has been shown that the more stable form is the trans form (or nearly this one) with regard to the two halogen atoms. The less stable form is considered to have an azimuthal angle between the two carbon‐halogen bonds of about 150°.