Anharmonic Aspects in Vibrational Circular Dichroism Spectra from 900 to 9000 cm−1 for Methyloxirane and Methylthiirane Published as part of The Journal of Physical Chemistry virtual special issue "Vincenzo Barone Festschrift"

Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra and the corresponding IR spectra of the chiral isomers of methyloxirane and of methylthiirane have been reinvestigated, both experimentally and theoretically, with particular attention to accounting for anharmonic corrections, as calculated by the GVPT2 approach. De novo recorded VCD spectra in the near IR (NIR) range regarding CH-stretching overtone transitions, together with the corresponding NIR absorption spectra, were also considered and accounted for, both with the GVPT2 and with the local mode approaches. Comparison of the two methods has permitted us to better describe the nature of active “anharmonic” modes in the two molecules and the role of mechanical and electrical anharmonicity in determining the intensities of VCD and IR/NIR data. Finally, two nonstandard IR/NIR regions have been investigated: the first one about ≈2000 cm−1, involving mostly two-quanta bending mode transitions, the second one between 7000 and 7500 cm−1 involving three-quanta transitions containing CH-stretching overtones and HCC/HCH bending modes.