A microwave substitution structure for protonated nitrogen N2H+

Abstract

Microwave observations of the J = 0–1 transitions of N₂H⁺, ¹⁵N₂H⁺,and ¹⁵N¹⁴ND⁺, N₂D⁺, ¹⁵N₂D⁺, and ¹⁵N¹⁴NH⁺ have been used to determine a substitution structure for N₂H⁺. The resultant structural parameters are r_s(NN) = 1.0947(4) Å and r_s(NH) = 1.0320(1) Å, which agree beautifully with those from available ab initio calculations. The frequencies obtained for the ¹⁵N species provide a basis for their future radioastronomical detection and identification.