15min:

FENG DONG AND DAVID J. NESBITT, JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309.

Vinyl radical, C₂H₃, is a transient but fundamental hydrocarbon species which plays important roles in a number of combustion processes. Previous high resolution spectroscopic studies of this species have been very limited; only the CH₂ wagging mode in the electronic ground state has been studied with IR diode laser absorption methods. Guided by both recent time-resolved FTIR emission and high level density functional predictions, we have recently used the slit jet discharge IR laser spectrometer to observe and assign high-resolution infrared spectra of jet-cooled vinyl radical in the symmetric CH₂ stretch region. In addition to structural information, the tunneling dynamics due to in-plane rocking of the -C-H will be discussed.