Some Electron Diffraction Studies: I. Electron Diffraction Studies of Some Heavy Metal Hexafluorides. II. The Molecular Structure of Gaseous N₂O₄. Ill. Applications of the Method of Least Squares in Electron Diffraction Investigations

Author: Smith, Darwin Waldron

Year: 1959

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Schomaker, Verner F.

Committee Member: Unknown, Unknown

Option: Chemistry; Physics

DOI: 10.7907/A9G6-3H34

Abstract

NOTE: Text or symbols not renderable in plain ASCII are indicated by [...]. Abstract is included in .pdf document.

Part I. An electron diffraction investigation has been made by the sector-microphotometer method of WF6, OsF6, IrF6, UF6, NpF6 and PuF6. The photographs of all these compounds exhibit a phase shift anomaly which gives rise to apparently assymetric structures, the anomaly setting in at smaller angles [...] of scattering for the heavier molecules and at smaller values of q = (40/[...])sin [...]/2 the greater the electron wavelength. There is good evidence for the symmetrical octahedral structure of all the compounds. The metal-fluorine distances were found to be (in Angstrom units) l.833(W-F), l.831(Os-F), l.830(Ir-F), 1.996(U-F), l.981(Np-F), and l.971(Pu-F).

Part II. An electron diffraction molecular structure determination of gaseous N2O4 has shown that the N-O distance, the N-N distance, and the ONO bond angle are 1.177 A, 1.752 A, and 134.8° respectively. The molecule is planar, which is surprising in view of the long N-N bond.

Part III. A structure refinement procedure, which was applied to the above compounds, has been programmed for the Burroughs 205 computer. It involves the fitting of a theoretical intensity curve to the experimental one.

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