CCSD(T) Study of CD3-O-CD3 and CH3-O-CD3 Far-Infrared Spectra

From a vibrationally corrected 3D potential energy surface determined with highly correlated ab initio calculations (CCSD(T)), the lowest vibrational energies of two dimethyl-ether isotopologues, (CH3)-C-12-O-16-(CD3)-C-12 (DME-d(3)) and (CD3)-C-12-O-16-(CD3)-C-12 (DME-d(6)), are computed variationally. The levels that can be populated at very low temperatures correspond to the COC-bending and the two methyl torsional modes. Molecular symmetry groups are used for the classification of levels and torsional splittings. DME-d(6) belongs to the G(3,5) group, as the most abundant isotopologue (CH3)-C-12-O-16-(CH3)-C-12 (DME-h(6)), while DME-d(3) is a G(18) species. Previous assignments of experimental Raman and far-infrared spectra are discussed from an effective Hamiltonian obtained after refining the ab initio parameters. Because a good agreement between calculated and experimental transition frequencies is reached, new assignments are proposed for various combination bands corresponding to the two deuterated isotopologues and for the 020 -> 030 transition of DME-d(6). Vibrationally corrected potential energy barriers, structural parameters, and anharmonic spectroscopic parameters are provided. For the 3N - 9 neglected vibrational modes, harmonic and anharmonic fundamental frequencies are obtained using second-order perturbation theory by means of CCSD and MP2 force fields. Fermi resonances between the COC-bending and the torsional modes modify DME-d(3) intensities and the band positions of the torsional overtones.