Vibrational Raman spectroscopic study of cyanogen

The vibrational Raman spectra of cyanogen have been obtained in the gas, liquid and solid states. The three Raman active fundamentals, nu(1), nu(2) and nu(4), have been identified in all three phases; whereas the spectra are consistent with D-xh molecular symmetry for the gaseous and liquid phases, the solid state spectrum clearly shows the presence of the infrared active and Raman-forbidden nu(3) mode. This is possibly indicative of a breakdown of the centro-symmetric structure in the solid state in contradiction of the X-ray diffraction results. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.