Description:
<jats:p><jats:bold>Though postulated for years, now detected for the first time!</jats:bold> The symmetric ClO<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> radical was synthesized by vacuum flash pyrolysis of chlorine perchlorate and trapped by matrix isolation for UV and IR spectroscopic studies. The OClO bond angle is 113.5±2° and the ClO bond length 150.0±1 pm. The photolysis of ClO<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> yields the unsymmetric isomer OClOO.</jats:p>