Anharmonic Computations Meet Experiments (IR, Raman, Neutron Diffraction) for Explaining the Behavior of 1,3,5-Tribromo-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene.

In the present paper we first show the experimental Raman, infrared, and neutron INS spectra of tribromomesitylene (TBM) measured in the range 50-3200 cm(-1) using crystalline powders at 6 or 4 K. Then, the bond lengths and angles determined by neutron diffraction using a TBM single crystal at 14 K are compared to the computed ones at different levels of theory. Anharmonic computations were then performed on the relaxed structure using the VPT2 approach, and for the lowest normal modes, the HRAO model has led to a remarkable agreement for the assignment of the experimental signatures.

Rotationally disordered phase of 1,3-dibromo-5-iodo-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene at 293 K.

In the crystal state at room temperature, the molecule of dibromoiodomesitylene (1,3-dibromo-5-iodo-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene), C9H9Br2I, is prone to strong disorder, apparently involving only the three halogen sites (occupied identically by 66.7% Br and 33.3% I).