Rotational Spectra and Molecular Structures of Ethylanilines

The molecular structures of three ethylanilines, ortho-, meta- and para-ethylaniline, have been obtained by means of Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy. Rotational spectra of all three molecules display the nuclear quadrupole hyperfine structures arising from the ^14 N nucleus. Comparison of the determined structures allows a direct study of the influence of the position of the ethyl substituent on the structure of the amino group communicated through the phenyl ring.