Laboratory rotational spectroscopy leads to the first interstellar detection of singly deuterated methyl mercaptan (CH$_{2}$DSH)

TL;DR

This paper reports the first interstellar detection of singly deuterated methyl mercaptan (CH$_{2}$DSH), achieved through extensive laboratory rotational spectroscopy and analysis of astronomical data, revealing insights into interstellar sulfur chemistry.

Contribution

The study provides the first spectroscopic analysis and interstellar detection of CH$_{2}$DSH, expanding understanding of sulfur-bearing complex organic molecules in space.

Findings

First interstellar detection of CH$_{2}$DSH.

Identified 46 spectral transitions of CH$_{2}$DSH.

Column density of (3.0±0.3)×10^{14} cm$^{-2}$].

Abstract

We report an extensive rotational spectroscopic analysis of singly deuterated methyl mercaptan (CH$_{2}$DSH) using both millimeter and far-infrared synchrotron spectra to achieve a global torsional analysis of the three lowest torsional substates (e$_{0}$, e$_{1}$, and o$_{1}$) of this non-rigid species. A fit including 3419 millimeter wave transitions along with 43 infrared torsional subband centers was performed with root mean square deviations of 0.233 MHz and 0.270 cm$^{-1}$, respectively, resulting in 68 fit parameters. A spectroscopic catalogue built from this analysis for a temperature of 125 K has led to the first interstellar detection of CH$_{2}$DSH towards the Solar-like protostar IRAS 16293-2422 B. We report the identification of 46 transitions, including eight relatively unblended lines, resulting in a derived column density of (3.0$\pm$0.3)$\times$10$^{14}$ cm$^{-2}$. The column density ratio for HDCS/CH$_{2}$DSH compared to HDCO/CH$_{2}$DOH suggests a difference in the interstellar chemistry between the sulphur and oxygen complex organics, in particular a different link between H$_{2}$CO and CH$_{3}$OH and between H$_{2}$CS and CH$_{3}$SH. This is the first interstellar detection of a deuterated sulphur-bearing COM and therefore an important step into understanding the chemical origin of sulphur-based prebiotics.