2015ApJ...801...34S

The role of aliphatic side groups in the formation of astronomical unidentified infrared emission (UIE) features is investigated by applying the density functional theory to a series of molecules with mixed aliphatic-aromatic structures. The effects of introducing various aliphatic groups to a fixed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) core (ovalene) are studied. Simulated spectra for each molecule are produced by applying a Drude profile at T = 500 K while the molecule is kept at its electronic ground state. The vibrational normal modes are classified using a semi-quantitative method. This allows us to separate the aromatic and aliphatic vibrations, and therefore provides clues to what types of vibrations are responsible for the emissions bands at different wavelengths. We find that many of the UIE bands are not pure aromatic vibrational bands but may represent coupled vibrational modes. The effects of aliphatic groups on the formation of the 8 µm plateau are quantitatively determined. The vibrational motions of methyl (-CH₃) and methylene (-CH₂-) groups can cause the merging of the vibrational bands of the parent PAH and the forming of broad features. These results suggest that aliphatic structures can play an important role in the UIE phenomenon.