New deuterated species in TMC-1: Detection of CH2DC4H with the QUIJOTE line survey

TL;DR

This paper reports the first space detection of deuterated methyldiacetylene CH2DC4H in TMC-1, providing new spectroscopic data and insights into deuterium chemistry in interstellar molecules.

Contribution

It presents the first detection and spectroscopic characterization of CH2DC4H in space, expanding understanding of deuterium fractionation in interstellar chemistry.

Findings

Detected 12 rotational transitions of CH2DC4H in TMC-1.

Derived a column density of (5.5±0.2)e11 cm^-2.

Found a CH3C4H/CH2DC4H abundance ratio of 24±2.

Abstract

We report the first detection in space of the single deuterated isotopologue of methyldiacetylene, CH2DC4H. A total of 12 rotational transitions, with J = 8-12 and Ka = 0 and 1, were identified for this species in TMC-1 in the 31.0-50.4 GHz range using the Yebes 40m radio telescope. The observed frequencies allowed us to obtain, for the first time, the spectroscopic parameters of this deuterated isotopologue. We derived a column density of (5.5+/-0.2)e11 cm-2. The abundance ratio between CH3C4H and CH2DC4H is 24+/-2. This ratio is similar to that found for the CH3C3N/CH2DC3N analogue system, which is 22+/-2.We did not detect the deuterated species CH3C4D, which has already been observed in laboratory experiments. The detection of deuterated CH3C4H allows us to extend the discussion on the chemical mechanisms of deuterium fractionation at work in TMC-1 using a new gas-phase chemical model with multiply deuterated molecules. Introducing a possible deuterium exchange reaction between CH3CCH and atomic deuterium allows us to account for the CH3C4H/CH2DC4H abundance ratio.