Electron diffraction study of structure of GeI4 and GeI2 molecules

Geometric parameters and force fields of GeI4 and GeI2 molecules are determined by gas electron diffraction method. It is shown that GeI4 molecule is of tetrahedral structure with the following parameters: bond length (Ge-I)=2.507 A, bond angle (I-Ge-I)=108.9 (7) deg, force constants F11=1.9; F22=0.069; F33=1.54 and F44=0.075 mdyn/A. GeI2 molecule is of nonlinear structure with 102.1 deg valent angle, bond length (Ge-I)=2.540 A and force constants F11=1.77; F22=0.123; F33=1.405 mdyn/A. Dependences of mean binding break energy, internuclear distance and valent force constant for germanium di- and tetrahalogenides are of linear character. 18 refs.; 1 figs.; 5 tabs