THE MM-WAVE ROTATIONAL SPECTRUM OF GLYCOLIC ACID

Presently we report the analysis of the rotational spectrum of glycolic acid on the basis of broadband measurements performed up to 318 GHz, and updated spectroscopic constants for the ground state and the first two excited states of the low-frequency ν21 torsional mode. We have used the AABS package to assign multiple further excited vibrational states of the SSC conformer. In particular, we have been able to assign the highly perturbed triad of ν14, ν20 and 3ν21 states. The triad has been fitted down to experimental accuracy with a coupled fit, which allowed us to pin down the hitherto elusive frequency of the ν21 mode. The experimental results make an interesting comparison with those of anharmonic force field calculations. We have also been able to extend the measurements for the AAT conformer.