The results of measurements and calculations of absolute cross sections for elastic electron scattering from the 3-hydroxytetrahydrofuran (3hTHF) (C 4H8O2) molecule are reported. The measurements were performed using a crossed beam experimental setup, for an incident electron energy range of 40-300eV and an overall scattering angle range of 10°-110°. Relative differential cross sections (DCSs) were measured both as a function of the angle and the incident energy and the absolute DCSs were determined using the relative flow technique. The calculations of molecular cross sections are based on a corrected form of the independent-atom method, known as the screen corrected additivity rule (SCAR) procedure and using an improved quasifree absorption model. Additional calculations are also done to investigate the influence of rotational excitations and low-angular behavior of SCAR DCSs. The calculated dataset includes differential, integral and total cross sections in the energy range from 5eV to 10000eV. The present results are discussed regarding the most recent low-energy elastic DCSs for 3hTHF (Vizcaino et al 2008 New J. Phys. 10 053002), as well as the recent DCSs for molecules of similar structure (tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol). © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.

This work has been partially supported by the Ministry of Science and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia under project 141011 and the Spanish Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia (project BFM2003-04648/FISI) and motivated by research within COST Actions P9 ‘Radiation Damage in Biomolecular Systems’ and CM0601 ‘Electron Controlled Chemical Lithography (ECCL)’

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