Ab initio conformational analysis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline and the high-resolution rotational spectrum of its lowest energy conformer.

The saturated part of the 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (THQ) molecule allows for the possibility of multiple conformers' existence. High-resolution microwave spectroscopy, supported by high-level quantum chemistry calculations, was used to determine the precise molecular structures of the conformers of THQ. Via the MP2 calculations, we were able to discriminate four stable conformations, i.