The structure of trinitromethane and its covalent mercury salts

Abstract

The i.r. spectra of solid, liquid, and gaseous trinitromethane have been recorded. Raman spectra of the solid and liquid compound have also been obtained together with polarization data for the liquid sample. Analysis of the data indicates that trinitromethane possesses C₃ symmetry in the liquid and gaseous states. In the solid state the symmetry does not increase and the possibility of no symmetry cannot be ruled out.

I.r. and Raman spectra have also been obtained for the covalent mercury salt of trinitromethane in the solid phase. The spectra are very similar to those of the parent molecule and suggest a symmetry not greater than C₃ although the enhanced symmetry D₃ and reduced symmetry C₁ cannot be excluded as possibilities.