For most molecules, it is possible to decompose the internal motion of the nuclei into rotations and vibrations. In the case of CH5+, things are not so simple. The rapid shuffling of hydrogens every which way about the central carbon causes inextricable mixing of rotations and vibrations and greatly complicates assignment of the dense spectrum. Wang and Carrington have reported theoretical calculations of rotational energy levels. They propose an assignment that differs from that of a recent experiment. The experimentalists assumed that they saw molecules of just one parity. The new assignment can only be correct if molecules of both parties exist in the experiment. This work was highlighted in articles published in Science, on the web site phys.org of the American Institute of Physics, on the website EurekAlert! of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, on the website chemeurope.com, and on the website analtyica-world.com.
