High-resolution infrared spectroscopy and ab initio studies of the cyclopropane-carbon dioxide interaction

A jet-cooled high-resolution infrared spectrum of the cyclopropane-carbon dioxide complex was detected for the first time, using a rapid scan infrared spectrometer with an astigmatic multipass sample cell. The spectrum was recorded in the vicinity of the CO2 asymmetric stretching band (nu3) and exhibits a b-dipole selection rule. Altogether, over 200 lines were observed, assigned, and fitted to Watson's S-reduction Hamiltonian. Rotational and quartic distortion constants were obtained. The band origin was located at 2347.6263(2) cm(-1), redshifted by 1.5230(2) cm(-1) from the corresponding frequency of the CO2 monomer. The experimentally determined structure shows that CO2 lies next to a C-C bond edge and is perpendicular to the C3 ring, indicating that the interaction is characterized by the bonding between the carbon atom of CO2 and the pseudo-pi system of cyclopropane. The intermolecular distance between the carbon atom of CO2 and the center of mass of cyclopropane was determined to be 3.667(2) A. Complete ab initio geometry optimizations and harmonic frequency calculations were carried out at the level of second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory with four different basis sets: cc-pVDZ, 6-311++G(d,p), aug-cc-pVDZ, and aug-cc-pVTZ. The lowest-energy structure identified with the three larger basis sets is in accord with the experimental finding. In addition, a transition state was identified and the tunneling barrier height was computed.