15min:

BRANDON S. TACKETT, CHANDANA KARUNATILAKA, ADAM DALY AND STEPHEN G. KUKOLICH, Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721.

Microwave spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations are reported for the bis( ₅-cyclopentadienyl)tungsten dihyride complex and its deuterium substituted isotopomers. Rotational transition frequencies were measured in the 4-18 GHz range using a Flygare-Balle-type pulsed beam spectrometer. (C₅H₅)₂WH₂ is a near-prolate asymmetric top with preliminary rotational constants of A= 2062, B= 855, and C= 844 MHz for the main ¹⁸⁴W isotopomer. Measurements were made to obtain the M-H bond and H-H distances to determine if this a dihydrogen complex.