Chemistry of nebulae around binary post-AGB stars: A molecular survey of
  mm-wave lines
  Context. There is a class of binary post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB)
stars that exhibit remarkable near-infrared (NIR) excess. Such stars are
surrounded by Keplerian or quasi-Keplerian disks, as well as extended outflows
composed of gas escaping from the disk. This class can be subdivided into disk-
and outflow-dominated sources, depending on whether it is the disk or the
outflow that represents most of the nebular mass, respectively. The chemistry
of this type of source has been practically unknown thus far. Methods. We
focused our observations on the 1.3, 2, 3 mm bands of the 30 m IRAM telescope
and on the 7 and 13 mm bands of the 40 m Yebes telescope. Our observations add
up around 600 hours of telescope time. Results. We present the first
single-dish molecular survey of mm-wave lines in nebulae around binary post-AGB
stars. We conclude that the molecular content is relatively low in nebulae
around binary post-AGB stars, as their molecular lines and abundances are
especially weaker compared with AGB stars. This fact is very significant in
those sources where the Keplerian disk is the dominant component of the nebula.
The study of their chemistry allows us to classify nebulae around AC Her, the
Red Rectangle, AI CMi, R Sct, and IRAS 20056+1834 as O-rich, while that of 89
Her is probably C-rich. The calculated abundances of the detected species other
than CO are particularly low compared with AGB stars. The initial stellar mass
derived from the 17O/18O ratio for the Red Rectangle and 89 Her is compatible
with the central total stellar mass derived from previous mm-wave
interferometric maps. The very low 12CO/13CO ratios found in binary post-AGB
stars reveal a high 13CO abundance compared to AGB and other post-AGB stars.
