 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Green, S., and E. Herbst, 1979: Metastable isomers: A new class of interstellar molecules. Astrophys. J., 229, 121-131, doi:10.1086/156936.
The abundances of a variety of metastable isomers of small organic molecules, analogous to HNC/HCN, in dense interstellar clouds are considered. These metastable species, some of which are thought to exist as intermediates in laboratory organic chemical reactions, are of considerable interest to chemists. Current ideas of gas-phase, ion-molecule chemistry are utilized to demonstrate that such metastable species should often be present in dense clouds in sufficient abundance to be observed. Unfortunately, the spectral constants of metastable isomers have rarely been determined in the laboratory, and quantum chemical calculations of a varying degree of accuracy must be utilized; results are included of some new quantum chemical calculations. The interstellar chemistry and expected microwave spectra of a representative sample of possibly important interstellar metastable isomers are discussed.
|
|
|
