Wallace C. Pringle

Wallace C. Pringle, Ph.D.

Professor of Physical Chemistry

(860) 685-2728

Physical Chemistry: Collision-induced far infrared and microwave spectroscopy; structure of small ring molecules; van der Waals complexes of four-membered ring molecules; water chemistry.

Our group uses molecular spectroscopy to investigate structure, forces and interactions between small molecules. The goal is to understand the factors contributing to the structure and chemistry of these molecules and larger systems which contain the small components. The interactions of small, non-polar gas phase molecules during collisions leads to induced dipole moments which can be observed with IR spectroscopy at high pressure. We have shown that the multiple expansion explanation for the interaction of molecules in the gas phase is seriously deficient for molecules larger than methane. We are continuing to investigate this breakdown of the multiple expansion.

We are using small ring molecules as probes to investigate guest-host and molecule-surface interactions via far infrared spectroscopy. Also, effect on energy levels due to chemical substitution of small ring molecules is creating an understanding of the quantitative factors leading to conformations (planarity) of ring systems.

We are also studying the chemical reactions associated with ozonolysis/UV irradiation of trace organic molecules in water with GC, LC, Mass Spec, UV, and IR spectroscopies. Transport of metals and metal-ligand complexes through soils are also studied.

Selected Publications

W. J. Lafferty, A. Maki, W. Pringle and I. Mills, "Comment on 'Two rotational lines in Allene'," J. Chem. Phys., 50, 564 (1969).
R. C. Lord and W. Pringle, "Search for Pure Rotational Infrared Absorption in Allene, "J. Chem. Phys., 50, 565 (1969).
W. Pringle, "Microwave Spectrum, Vibration-Rotation Interaction and Ring-Puckering Vibration in Silacyclobutane and Silacyclobutane-1,1-d₂," J. Chem. Phys. 54, 5979 (1971).
R. B. Birge, W. C. Pringle and P. A. Leermakers, "The Excited State Geometries of Singly
Substituted Methyl Propenals, I. Vibration-Electronic Analysis of S₁(Nπ-*)," J. Am. Chem. Soc., 93, 6715 (1971).
W. C. Pringle and A. L. Meinzer, "Potential Functions for the Ring-Puckering Vibrations of B₂H₆ and B₂D₆," J. Chem. Phys., 57, 2920 (1972).
A. S. Gaylord and W. C. Pringle, "Ring-Puckering Vibrations in ľ-Aminodiboranes," J. Chem. Phys., 59, 4674 (1973).
W. C. Pringle and A. L. Meinzer, "The Effect of Fluorine Substitution on Ring-Puckering Potential: The Infrared Ring-Puckering Vibration of 3,3-difluoro-oxetane," J. Chem. Phys., 61, 2071 (1974).
W. C. Pringle, C. J. Appeloff and K. W. Jordan, "Ring-Puckering Vibration in ľ-Mercap- tiodiborane and 1-Deutero-ľ-mercaptodiborane," J. Mol. Spect., 55, 351 (1975).
A. L. Meinzer and W. C. Pringle, "The Effect of Carbonyl Substitution on the Barrier to Planarity in Cyclobutanes," J. Phys. Chem., 80, 1178 (1976).
W. C. Harris, D. A. Coe, W. C. Pringle and J. K. Snow, "Matrix Isolation Studies and Potential Function for Perfluorocyclobutane," J. Mol. Spect., 62, 149 (1976).
W. C. Pringle, S. M. Jacobs and D. Rosenblatt, "Collisionally-Induced Rotational Spectrum of Allene," Mol. Phys., 50, 205 (1983).
R. Cohen and W. C. Pringle, "Analysis of the Collision Induced Far-Infrared Spectrum of Ethane," Spectrochimica Acta, 42A, 291 (1986).
W. C. Pringle, R. Cohen and S. M. Jacobs, "Analysis of Collision Induced Far Infrared Spectrum of Ethylene," Mol. Phys., 62, 661 (1987).
W. C. Pringle, W. R. Gronlund and R. C. Cohen, "Collision Induced Far Infrared Spectrum of Cyclopropane," Mol. Phys., 62, 669 (1987).
Determination of the Structure of the Argon Cyclobutanone van der Waals Complex, M. R. Munrow, W. C. Pringle, S. E. Novick, J. Phys. Chem., 103, 2256 (1999).
Determination of the structure of argon chlorocyclobutane, Raganathan Subramanian, Jodi M. Szarko, Wallace C.
Pringle, Stewart E. Novick, submitted, J. Mol. Spectrosc. (2004).
Rotational spectrum, nuclear quadrupole coupling constants, and structure of six isotopomers of the argon chlorocyclobutane van der Waals complex, R. Subramanian, J. M. Szarko, W. C. Pringle, S. E. Novick, J. Mol. Struct. 742, 165 (2005).
"High resolution studies of tropolone in the S₀ and S₁ electronic states: Isotope driven dynamics in the zero-point energy levels", J. C. Keske, W. Lin, W. C. Pringle, S. E. Novick, T. A. Blake, D. F. Plusquellic, J. Chem. Phys. 124, 074309 (2006).

Education

B.A. 1963 Middlebury College
Ph.D. 1966 Massachusetts Institute of Technology

[Chemistry] [Wesleyan]

Last updated: August 10, 2007 (rncb)