The submillimeter-wave spectrum of the doubly deuterated species of methyl formate HCOOCD2H

Abstract : Context. Astronomical surveys of interstellar molecules, such as those that will be available with the very sensitive ALMA telescope, require preliminary laboratory investigations of the microwave and submillimeter-wave spectra of new molecular species to identify these in the interstellar media. Aims: We build a linelist that should allow us to detect HCOOCD2H, provided it is present in the interstellar media in a suitable concentration. Methods: The experimental spectra of HCOOCD2H have been recorded in the microwave and submillimeter-wave energy range. Line frequencies were analyzed using an internal axis method-like treatment taking into account the CD2H internal rotation. Results: 5933 lines of HCOOCD2H have been assigned and their frequencies were reproduced with a unitless standard deviation of 1.6. A linelist with calculated frequencies and intensities was built and spans the 50 - 660 GHz spectral region. The frequency accuracy is better than 0.1 MHz. Conclusions: The pure rotation spectrum of the CD2H-methyl formate isotopolog (HCOOCD2H) has been observed in laboratory for the first time. Tables 3, 6, and 10 are available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/543/A46