Accurate molecular structure and spectroscopic properties of nucleobases: a combined computational-microwave investigation of 2-thiouracil as a case study.

The computational composite scheme purposely set up for accurately describing the electronic structure and spectroscopic properties of small biomolecules has been applied to the first study of the rotational spectrum of 2-thiouracil. The experimental investigation was made possible thanks to the combination of the laser ablation technique with Fourier transform microwave spectrometers. The joint experimental-computational study allowed us to determine the accurate molecular structure and spectroscopic properties of the title molecule, but more importantly, it demonstrates a reliable approach for the accurate investigation of isolated small biomolecules.