Ab initio calculations with full electron correlation by the perturbation method to second order and hybrid density functional theory calculations by the B3LYP method utilizing the 6-31G(d), 6-311+G(d,p), and 6-311+G(2d,2p) basis sets have been carried out for the XNCO and XOCN (X= H, F. Cl, Br) molecules. From these calculations, force constants, vibrational frequencies, infrared intensities, Raman activities, depolarization ratios, and structural parameters have been determined and compared to the experimental quantities when available. By combining previously reported rotational constants for HNCO, CINCO and BrNCO with the ab initio MP2/6-311+G(d, p) predicted structural values, adjusted r(o) parameters have been obtained. The r(o) values for BrNCO are: r(Br-N) = 1.857(5): r(N=C) = 1.228(5): r(C=O) = 1.161(5) angstrom: BrNC = 117.5(5) and NCO = 172.3(5)degrees. For CINCO the determined ro parameters are in excellent agreement with the previously determine r(s) values, whereas those for HNCO the HNC angle is larger with a value of 126.3(5)degrees compared to the previous reported value of 123.9(17)degrees. However, considering the relatively large uncertainty in the value given initially the two results are in near agreement. Structural parameters ire also estimated for FNCO and XOCN (X = H. F, Cl, Br). The centrifugal distortion constants have been calculated and are compared to the experimentally (XNCO: X = H, Cl, Br) determined Values. Predicted values for the barriers of linearity are given for both the XNCO (X = H, F, Cl, Br) molecules and the results were compared to the corresponding isothiocyanate molecules. The predicted frequencies for the fundamentals of the XNCO molecules compare favorably to the experimental values but some of the predicted intensities differ significantly from those in the observed spectra. The two OCN bends for HOCN have been assigned and the frequencies for the two corresponding fundamentals of DOCN are predicted. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.