# Pure rotational spectroscopy of the CH$_2$CN radical extended to the sub-millimeter wave spectral region

### Abstract

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 temperature by H abstraction from acetonitrile using atomic fluorine. The newly recorded transitions of CH2CN (involving N'' and K''a up to 42 and 8, respectively) were combined with the literature data, leading to a refinement of the spectroscopic parameters of the species using a Watson S-reduced Hamiltonian. In particular, the A rotational constant and K-dependent parameters are significantly better determined than in previous studies. The present model, which reproduces all experimental transitions to their experimental accuracy, allows for confident searches for the radical in cold to warm environments of the interstellar medium.

Publication
J. Phys. Chem. A
##### Olivia Chitarra
###### PhD student

Former PhD student

##### Olivier Pirali
###### Director of Research

My research interests includes high resolution molecular spectroscopy, laboratory astrophysics, and THz generation.

##### Jean-Thibaut Spaniol
###### Master Student

Former Master 2 student with a passion for teaching that overpassed his love for spectroscopy.

##### Thomas Hearne
###### Postdoc

My research focuses on a wide range of spectroscopic techniques and their aplications to fluid dynamics, reaction dynamics, astrochemistry, and more.

##### Marie-Aline Martin-Drumel
###### Researcher

My research interests focus on molecular spectroscopy of stable molecules and reactive species, and its applications for astrophysics and physical-chemistry.