The results of a comprehensive infrared imaging search for the putative 0.06 M _ { \odot } astrometric companion to the 4.4 pc white dwarf van Mannen 2 are reported .
Adaptive optics images acquired at 3.8 \mu m reveal a diffraction limited core of 0.09 ^ { \prime \prime } and no direct evidence of a secondary .
Models predict that at 5 Gyr , a 50 M _ { J } brown dwarf would be only 1 magnitude fainter than van Maanen 2 at this wavelength and the astrometric analysis suggested a separation of 0.2 ^ { \prime \prime } .
In the case of a chance alignment along the line of sight , a 0.4 mag excess should be measured .
An independent photometric observation at the same wavelength reveals no excess .
In addition , there exist published ISO observations of van Maanen 2 at 6.8 \mu m and 15.0 \mu m which are consistent with photospheric flux of a 6750 K white dwarf .
If recent brown dwarf models are correct , there is no substellar companion with T _ { eff } \gtrsim 500 K .