Experimental and theoretical studies of the reaction Ba+(D2, D)BaD+: sequential impulse model for endothermic reactions

The sequential impulse model for direct reactions of Mahan, Ruska and Winn is extended to include endothermic reactions. The model is outlined and used to predict the variation in cross section with kinetic energy for heavy atom—light homonuclear diatom reactions. The results are found to agrees well with experimental data for the reaction Ba⁺(D₂, D)BaD⁺. The bond dissociation energy of BaD⁺, 2.5 ± 0.1 eV, and the proton affinity of Ba, 250 ± 3 kcal/mol, are derived.