Marie-Aline Martin-Drumel

Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay, Orsay, France · CNRS

We report the study of three structural isomers of phenylpropiolonitrile (3-phenyl-2-propynenitrile, C6H5-C3N) containing an alkyne function and a cyano group, namely ortho-, meta-, and para-cyanoethynylbenzene (HCC-C6H4-CN). The pure rotational spectra of these species have been recorded at room temperature in the millimeter-wave domain using a ch...

Aminoacetonitrile is an interstellar molecule with a prominent prebiotic role, already detected in the chemically-rich molecular cloud Sagittarius B2(N) and postulated to be present in the atmosphere of the largest Saturn's moon, Titan. To further support its observation in such remote environments and laboratory experiments aimed at improving our...

C$_3$, a pure carbon chain molecule that has been identified in different astronomical environments, is considered a good probe of kinetic temperatures through observation of transitions involving its low-lying bending mode ($\nu_2$) in its ground electronic state. The present laboratory work aims to investigate this bending mode with multiple quan...

The norbornadiene ( NBD ) molecule, C 8 H 7 , owes its fame to its remarkable photoswitching properties promising for molecular solar-thermal energy storage systems. Besides this photochemical interest, NBD is a rather unreactive species...

We present a thorough pure rotational investigation of the CH2CN radical in its ground vibrational state. Our measurements cover the millimeter and sub-millimeter wave spectral regions (79-860 GHz) using a W-band chirped-pulse instrument and a frequency multiplication chain-based spectrometer. The radical was produced in a flow cell at room tempera...

We provide compelling experimental and theoretical evidence for the transition state nature of the cyclopropyl cation. Synchrotron photoionization spectroscopy employing coincidence techniques together with a novel simulation based on high-accuracy ab initio calculations reveal that the cation is unstable via its allowed disrotatory ring-opening pa...

The (sub-)millimeter wave spectrum of the non-rigid CH 2 OH radical is investigated both experimentally and theoretically. Ab initio calculations are carried out to quantitatively characterize its potential energy surface as a function of the two large amplitude ∠H 1 COH and ∠H 2 COH dihedral angles. It is shown that the radical displays a large am...

Quantum cascade laser pumped terahertz (THz) gas lasers are at the edge of revolutionizing THz science where powerful yet tunable sources have long been lacking. Maybe one of the last remaining drawbacks to a wider use of these instruments lies in the lack of available databases of potentially lasing transitions for users. We propose a new figure o...

Synchrotron radiation (SR) has proven to be an invaluable contributor to the field of molecular spectroscopy, particularly in the terahertz region (1-10 THz) where its bright and broadband properties are currently unmatched by laboratory sources. However, measurements using SR are currently limited to a resolution of around 30 MHz, due to the limit...

A combination of millimeter-wave and high-resolution infrared data is used to analyze the eight lowest-energy vibrational states of benzonitrile (C6H5CN, C2v, μa = 4.5 D), a benzene derivative recently detected in the interstellar medium. The overtone states v22 = 2 and v33 = 2, combination state v22 = 1, v33 = 1, and fundamental states v21 = 1 and...

The far-infrared spectrum of HC3N has been recorded at high resolution between 70 and 500 cm−1using synchrotron radiation. Four prominent features, i.e., ν7, ν6−ν7, ν4−ν6, and 2ν7 have been identified in the spectrum together with many associated hot bands. In addition, rotational transitions for the interacting v4=v7=1, (v6=2,v7=1), (v5=1,v7=2), a...

Context. The recent interstellar detections of –CN containing aromatic species, namely benzonitrile, 1-cyanonaphthalene, and 2-cyanonaphthalene, bring renewed interest in related molecules that could participate in similar reaction networks. Aims. To enable new interstellar searches for benzonitrile derivatives, the pure rotational spectra of sever...

Catechol is an oxygenated aromatic volatile organic compound and a biogenic precursor of secondary organic aerosols. Monitoring this compound in the gas phase is desirable due to its appreciable reactivity with tropospheric ozone. From a molecular point of view, this molecule is attractive since the two adjacent hydroxy groups can interchangeably a...

The high resolution vibrational spectrum of vinyl acetylene (C2H3CCH) has been investigated in the far infrared region from 180 to 360 cm–1 using the Bruker IFS 120 HR spectrometer at Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen, Germany. The two energetically lowest vibrational fundamentals ν13 and ν18 at 214 cm–1 and 304 cm–1 , respectively, were measured a...

Because of their high stability, the presence of diamond-type molecules has long been suspected in the interstellar medium, a hypothesis supported by the extraction of diamond nanocrystal from some meteorites. We report the rotational and vibrational investigation of two polar derivatives of adamantane (C10H16), 1-cyanoadamantane (C10H15–CN) and 1-...

The evidence for benzonitrile (C6H5CN) in the starless cloud core TMC–1 makes high-resolution studies of other aromatic nitriles and their ring-chain derivatives especially timely. One such species is phenylpropiolonitrile (3-phenyl-2-propynenitrile, C6H5C3N), whose spectroscopic characterization is reported here for the first time. The low resolut...

The evidence for benzonitrile (C$_6$H$_5$CN}) in the starless cloud core TMC-1 makes high-resolution studies of other aromatic nitriles and their ring-chain derivatives especially timely. One such species is phenylpropiolonitrile (3-phenyl-2-propynenitrile, C$_6$H$_5$C$_3$N), whose spectroscopic characterization is reported here for the first time....

The high resolution vibrational spectrum of ethyl cyanide (C2H5CN) has been investigated in the far-IR using synchrotron-based Fourier transform spectroscopy. The assignment was performed using the Automated Spectral Assignment Procedure (ASAP) allowing accurate rotational energy levels of the four lowest fundamental vibrations of the species, name...

We have recently demonstrated a continuous wave molecular laser emission based on ammonia optically pumped by a quantum cascade laser. We report here new results obtained with an optimized laser prototype pumped by a tunable external cavity quantum cascade laser. New laser lines with high output power are demonstrated at frequencies between 1 and 5...

Context. The hydroxymethyl radical (CH 2 OH) is one of two structural isomers, together with the methoxy radical (CH 3 O), that can be produced by abstraction of a hydrogen atom from methanol (CH 3 OH). In the interstellar medium (ISM), both CH 2 OH and CH 3 O are suspected to be intermediate species in many chemical reactions, including those of f...

Context. Deuterium fractionation processes in the interstellar medium (ISM) have been shown to be highly efficient in the family of nitrogen hydrides. To date, observations have been limited to ammonia (NH 2 D, NHD 2 , ND 3 ) and imidogen radical (ND) isotopologues. Aims. We want to explore the high-frequency windows offered by the Herschel Space O...

Cyanoacetylene, the simplest cyanopolyyne, is an abundant interstellar molecule commonly observed in a vast variety of astronomical sources. Despite its importance as a potential tracer of the evolution of star-forming processes, the deuterated form of cyanoacetylene is less observed and less studied in the laboratory than the main isotopologue. He...

Context. Aminoacetonitrile, a molecule detected in the interstellar medium only toward the star-forming region Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2), is considered an important prebiotic species; in particular, it is a possible precursor of the simplest amino acid glycine. To date, observations have been limited to ground state emission lines, whereas transition...

Deuterium fractionation processes in the interstellar medium (ISM) have been shown to be highly efficient in the family of nitrogen hydrides. To date, observations were limited to ammonia (NH$_2$D, NHD$_2$, ND$_3$) and imidogen radical (ND) isotopologues. We want to explore the high frequency windows offered by the \emph{Herschel Space Observatory}...

Cyanoacetylene, the simplest cyanopolyyne, is an abundant interstellar molecule commonly observed in a vast variety of astronomical sources. Despite its importance as a potential tracer of the evolution of star-forming processes, the deuterated form of cyanoacetylene is less observed and less studied in the laboratory than the main isotopologue. He...

Aminoacetonitrile, a molecule detected in the interstellar medium only towards the star-forming region Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) thus far, is considered an important prebiotic species. To date, observations were limited to ground state emission lines, whereas transitions from within vibrationally excited states remained undetected. We wanted to accur...

Observations of ammonia in interstellar environments have revealed high levels of deuteration, and all its D-containing variants, including ND$_3$, have been detected in cold prestellar cores and around young protostars. The observation of these deuterated isotopologues is very useful to elucidate the chemical and physical processes taking place du...

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) constitute an important class of molecules found in various environments and are considered important pollutants of the Earth's atmosphere. In particular, functionalization of PACs modify the ring aromaticity, which greatly influences the chemical reactivity of these species. In this work we studied several oxyg...

Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds (PACs) constitute an important class of molecules found in various environments and considered as important pollutants of the earth atmosphere. In particular, functionalization of PACs modify the ring aromaticity which greatly influence the chemical reactivity of these species. In this work we studied several oxygen-co...

The high resolution far-infrared spectrum of trans-butadiene has been re-investigated by Fourier-transform spectroscopy at two synchrotron radiation facilities, SOLEIL and the Canadian Light Source, at temperatures ranging from 50 to 340 K. Beyond the well-studied bands, two new fundamental bands lying below 1100 cm⁻¹, ν10 and ν24, have been assign...

Methoxyphenols (MPs) are a significant component of biomass burning emissions which mainly exists in our atmosphere in the gas phase where they contribute to the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Rovibrational spectroscopy is a promising tool to monitor atmospheric MPs and infer their role in SOA formation. In this study, we bring a n...

A new spectrometer allowing both high resolution and broadband coverage in the terahertz (THz) domain is proposed. This instrument exploits the heterodyne technique between broadband synchrotron radiation and a quantum-cascade-laser-based molecular THz laser that acts as the local oscillator. Proof of principle for exploitation for spectroscopy is...

A longstanding problem in astrochemistry is the inability of many current models to account for missing sulfur content. Many relatively simple species that may be good candidates to sequester sulfur have not been measured experimentally at the high spectral resolution necessary to enable radioastronomical identification. On the basis of new laborat...

A longstanding problem in astrochemistry is the inability of many current models to account for missing sulfur content. Many relatively simple species that may be good candidates to sequester sulfur have not been measured experimentally at the high spectral resolution necessary to enable radioastronomical identification. On the basis of new laborat...

Following the recent discovery of T-shaped \ce{GeC2}, rotational spectra of three larger Ge carbides, linear \ce{GeC4}, \ce{GeC5}, and \ce{GeC6} have been observed using chirped pulse and cavity Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy and a laser ablation molecule source, guided by new high-level quantum chemical calculations of their molecular st...

A long standing problem in astrochemistry is the inability of many current models to account for missing sulfur content. Many relatively simple species that may be good candidates to sequester sulfur have not been measured experimentally at the high spectral resolution necessary to enable radioastronomical identification. On the basis of new labora...

A fundamental question in the field of astrochemistry is whether the molecules essential to life originated in the interstellar medium (ISM) and, if so, how they were formed. Nitrogen-containing heterocycles are of particular interest because of their role in biology, but to date no N-heterocycle has been detected in the ISM and it is unclear how a...

To unambiguously identify new chemical species, and sometimes even to establish their very existence, rotationally resolved spectroscopy has proven to be an invaluable tool. In their Minireview on page 7243 ff., M. C. McCarthy and co‐workers, illustrate the power of closely coordinating experiment and theory to investigate the rotational pattern of...