Conformational dynamics of 1-phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol by rotational spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

•First rotational spectroscopic study of 1-phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol.•Assign rotational spectra of the normal and all eight carbon-13 isotopologues.•Study the conformational conversion barriers and conformational cooling in a jet.•Investigate the effect of a phenyl substitute on the conformation landscape.•Refine the ab initio structure with the isotopic data.