Anisotropy of polarized x-ray emission from molecules.

Strongly anisotropic, polarized Cl {ital K}-{ital V} x-ray emission from gas-phase CF{sub 3}Cl has been observed following resonant excitation with a linearly polarized x-ray beam. Distinctively different angular distributions are observed for x-ray emission involving molecular orbitals of different symmetries. A classical model of the x-ray absorption-emission process accurately describes the observed radiation patterns.