A neutron-diffraction study of liquid acetonitrile

Abstract

Neutron-diffraction studies on liquid deuterated acetonitrile at 20°C were carried out at neutron wavelengths of 0·5 Å and 0·7 Å. For the latter wavelength samples of two different diameters were measured. The data were corrected for background, absorption, multiple scattering and inelastic effects (Placzek correction) and then were normalized to absolute differential cross section by comparison with vanadium standard. The different steps in the correction procedure were experimentally verified. The absolute coherent distinct differential cross section was separated into intermolecular and intramolecular contributions. The variation of molecular structure in passing from the gas phase to the liquid was obtained from this intramolecular contribution.