An improved data reduction procedure for processing electron diffraction images and its application to structural study of carbon tetrachloride

A novel technique of processing of scanned diffraction patterns, which takes into account possible unevenness of the observed wavelength of the electrons (pattern distortion due to the presence of external magnetic fields) is reported. The technique and software have been successfully tested using experimental gas electron diffraction data for CCl4, benzene, and I2 molecules before using the method in the new studies of molecular structures. High-accuracy data on the structure of carbon tetrachloride have been obtained. Recently, this method has been successfully applied in studies of two large macroheterocyclic molecules.