A re-examination of the infrared and ultraviolet spectroscopy of trifluoroacetyl fluoride and trifluoroacetyl chloride: An experimental and theoretical study

The fundamental IR vibrational modes of trifluoroacetyl fluoride CF₃C(O)F and trifluoroacetyl chloride CF₃C(O)Cl have been re-examined by ab initio molecular orbital calculations and compared with literature assignments. Several bands of the IR spectrum are reassigned. The Q-branch and integrated absorption cross-sections have been measured for ν₁, ν₃, ν₄ and ν₁₁ fundamental bands for both pressurized and unpressurized samples on each molecule. The UV absorption spectra of CF₃C(O)F and CF₃C(O)Cl show a structureless continuum with a maximum at 21Onm (σ_max=3.20±0.02 × 10^-20 cm² molecule^-1) and 255 nm (σ_max=7.66±0.26 × 10^-20 cm² molecule^-1), respectively. The nature of the electronic transition giving rise to the UV absorption spectrum for CF₃C(O)F and CF₃C(O)Cl has been examined by ab initio molecular orbital calculations. It is attributed to the A¹A″←X¹A′ electronic transition.