Laboratory Measurements and Astronomical Search for Methoxyacetone and Methyl Methoxyacetate

High-resolution
pure rotational spectra of methoxyacetone and methyl
methoxyacetate have been recorded and analyzed by using pulsed jet-expansion
Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy with the aid of quantum calculations.
The global minima for both target molecules have been detected in
pulsed jet, whose spectra are featured with the splittings raised
from the methyl internal rotations. On the basis of the spectroscopic
results, a radio-astronomical search of methoxyacetone and methyl
methoxyacetate was carried out toward the high-mass star-forming region
Sgr B2­(N) using the Shanghai Tianma 65 m radio telescope. No lines
belonging to either of the target molecules were detected, and the
upper limits to the column density were derived.