Low-energy elastic electron scattering from isobutanol and related alkyl amines

Normalized experimental differential and integral cross sections for vibrationally elastic scattering of low-energy electrons from isobutanol (C_4H_9OH)are presented. The differential cross sections are measured at incident energies from 1 to 100 eV and scattering angles from 5° to 130°. These cross sections are compared to earlier experimental and theoretical results for isobutanol and n-butanol, as well as to results for smaller alcohols and for alkanes. Further comparisons are made with calculated cross sections for isobutylamine (C_4H_9NH_2)and for smaller amines, including ethylamine (C_2H_5NH_2), dimethylamine (CH_3NHCH_3)the two C_3H_7NH_2 isomers n-propylamine and isopropylamine, and ethylene diamine (NH_2C_2H_4NH_2). The calculated cross sections are obtained using the Schwinger multichannel method. The comparisons illuminate the role of molecular structure in determining the angular distribution of resonantly scattered electrons.