title: Detection of a new interstellar molecule, H2CN.
abstract: We have detected a new interstellar molecule, H2CN (methylene amidogen), in the cold, dark molecular cloud TMC-l. The column density of H2CN is estimated to be approximately 1.5 x 10(11) cm-2 by assuming an excitation temperature of 5 K. This column density corresponds to a fractional abundance relative to H2 of approximately 1.5 x 10(-11). This value is more than three orders of magnitude less than the abundance of the related molecule HCN in TMC-1. We also report a tentative detection of H2CN in Sgr B2(N). The formation mechanism of H2CN is discussed. Our detection of the H2CN molecule may suggest the existence of a new series of carbon-chain molecules, CH2CnN (n = 0, 1, 2,...).
authors.affiliation: Nobeyama Radio Observatory, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohishi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGonagle
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D055580:Astronomical Phenomena; D001256:Astronomy; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D009570:Nitriles / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D013057:Spectrum Analysis
chemical_list: D009570:Nitriles