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 ${(\mathrm{C}}_{4}{\mathrm{H}}_{9}\mathrm{OH})$ are presented. The differential cross sections are measured at incident energies from 1 to 100 eV and scattering angles from ${5}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ to ${130}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$. 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 ${(\mathrm{C}}_{4}{\mathrm{H}}_{9}{\mathrm{NH}}_{2})$ and for smaller amines, including ethylamine ${(\mathrm{C}}_{2}{\mathrm{H}}_{5}{\mathrm{NH}}_{2}),$ dimethylamine ${(\mathrm{CH}}_{3}{\mathrm{NHCH}}_{3})$, the two ${\mathrm{C}}_{3}{\mathrm{H}}_{7}{\mathrm{NH}}_{2}$ isomers $n$-propylamine and isopropylamine, and ethylene diamine ${(\mathrm{NH}}_{2}{\mathrm{C}}_{2}{\mathrm{H}}_{4}{\mathrm{NH}}_{2}).$ 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.