The electronic spectrum of the previously unknown HAsO transient molecule

The Ã(1)A('')-X̃(1)A(') electronic spectrum of the jet-cooled transient molecule HAsO and its deuterated isotopologue has been observed for the first time by pulsed discharge jet laser spectroscopy. The techniques of laser-induced fluorescence and single vibronic level emission were employed to probe the electronic properties of the species. The bending and AsO stretching frequencies have been determined in both states. A rotational analysis of the 0(0)(0) bands of both HAsO and DAsO has been completed and the following effective (r(0)) structures were derived: r(")(HAs) = 1.576(3) Å, r(")(AsO) = 1.8342(5) Å, and θ(") = 101.5(4)°; and r(')(HAs) = 1.569(4) Å, r(')(AsO) = 1.7509(9) Å, and θ(') = 93.1(10)°. In the rotational analysis, lines induced by axis-tilting were observed, and calculated spectra with an axis tilting angle of 3.0(5)° reproduced the intensity of these lines. The change in geometry on electronic excitation is similar to that observed for the molecule HPO, with an increase in the X-O bond length and a decrease in the HXO angle, but contrary to the predictions of the Walsh diagram for generic HAB triatomic molecules. Our ab initio calculations show that the correlation between orbital energy and bond angle changes upon electronic excitation, resulting in the atypical angle change.