Collision energy dependence of the HD(nu' = 2) product rotational distribution of the H + D2 reaction in the range 1.30-1.89 eV

An experimental and theoretical investigation of the collision energy dependence of the HD(nu' = 2,j') rotational product state distribution for the H + D2 reaction in the collision energy range of Ecol = 1.30-1.89 eV has been carried out. Theoretical results based on time-dependent and time-independent quantum mechanical methods agree nearly perfectly with each other, and the agreement with the experiment is good at low collision energies and very good at high collision energies. This behavior is in marked contrast to a previous report on the HD(nu' = 3,j') product state rotational distribution [Pomerantz et al., J. Chem. Phys. 120, 3244 (2004)] where a systematic difference between experiment and theory was observed, especially at the highest collision energies. The reason for this different behavior is not yet understood. In addition, this study employs Doppler-free spectroscopy to resolve an ambiguity in the E, F-X resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization transition originating from the HD(nu' = 2,j' = 1) state, which is found to be caused by an accidental blending with the transition coming from the HD(nu' = 1,j' = 14) state.     

Influence of collision energy and reagent vibrational excitation on the dynamics of the reaction H + LiH

We present a detailed quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) study of the dynamics corresponding to the reaction H + LiH proceeding via depletion and H‐exchange paths on a new potential energy surface of the electronic ground state. The effects of collision energy and reagent initial vibrational excitation on the reaction probability and cross sections are studied over a wide range of collision energies. The QCT‐calculated reaction probability and cross sections are in good agreement with previous time‐dependent wave packet results. More importantly, we found that the vibrational excitation of LiH molecule inhibits the LiH depletion reaction, whereas it promotes the H‐exchange reaction. In addition, the differential cross sections calculated for the depletion reaction at different collision energies and excitation states indicate a strong forward scattering of the product molecule H₂. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Disagreement between theory and experiment in the simplest chemical reaction: collision energy dependent rotational distributions for H + D2 --> HD(nu' = 3,j') + D

We present experimental rotational distributions for the reaction H + D2 --> HD(nu' = 3,j') + D at eight different collision energies between 1.49 and 1.85 eV. We combine a previous measurement of the state-resolved excitation function for this reaction [Ayers et al., J. Chem. Phys. 119, 4662 (2003)] with the current data to produce a map of the relative reactive cross section as a function of both collision energy and rotational quantum number (an E-j' plot). To compare with the experimental data, we also present E-j' plots resulting from both time-dependent and time-independent quantum mechanical calculations carried out on the BKMP2 surface. The two calculations agree well with each other, but they produce rotational distributions significantly colder than the experiment, with the difference being more pronounced at higher collision energies. Disagreement between theory and experiment might be regarded as surprising considering the simplicity of this system; potential causes of this discrepancy are discussed.     

Quantum wave-packet calculation of reaction probabilities, cross sections, and rate constants for Li + H2+ reaction

The Li + H2+(upsilon,j) --> LiH(upsilon',j') + H+ reactive scattering has been studied by using quantum real wave-packet method. The state-to-state and state-to-all reaction probabilities for the entitled collision have been calculated. The probabilities show a smooth variation for all initial rotational quantum states. The J-shifting approximation has been employed to estimate the integral cross sections and thermal rate constants have been calculated.     

Quasiclassical trajectory study of the CH3++HD-->CH2D++H2 Reaction

A full dimensional ab initio potential energy surface for the CH5+ system based on coupled cluster electronic structure calculations and capable of describing the dissociation of methonium ion into methyl cation and molecular hydrogen (J. Phys. Chem. A 2006, 110, 1569) is used in quasiclassical trajectory calculations of the reaction CH3++HD-->CH2D++H2 for low collision energies of relevance to astrochemistry. Cross sections for the exchange are obtained at several relative translational energies and a fit to the energy dependence of the cross sections is used to obtain the rate constant at temperatures between 10 and 50 K. The calculated rate constant at 10 K agrees well with the previously reported experimental value. Internal energy distributions of the products are presented and discussed in the context of zero-point energy "noncompliance".     

Quantum wave-packet dynamics of H+HLi scattering: reaction cross section and thermal rate constant

The channel specific and initial state-selected reaction cross section and temperature-dependent rate constant for the title system is calculated with the aid of a time-dependent wave-packet approach and using the ab initio potential energy surface of Dunne et al. [Chem. Phys. Lett. 336, 1 (2001)]. All partial-wave contributions up to the total angular momentum J=74 are explicitly calculated within the coupled states (CS) approximation. Companion calculations are also carried out employing the standard as well as the uniform J-shifting (JS) approximation. The overall variation of reaction cross sections corresponds well to the behavior of a barrierless reaction. The hydrogen exchange channel yielding HLi+H products is seen to be more favored over the HLi depletion channel yielding Li+H(2) products at low and moderate collision energies. Sharp resonance features are observed in the cross-section results for the HLi depletion channel at low energies. Resonance features in the reaction cross sections average out with various partial-wave contributions, when compared to the same observed in the individual reaction probability curve. Except near the onset of the reaction, the vibrational and rotational excitation of the reagent HLi, in general, does not dramatically influence the reactivity of either channel. The thermal rate constants calculated up to 4000 K show nearly Arrhenius type behavior. The rate constant decreases with vibrational excitation of the reagent HLi, indicating that the cold HLi molecules are efficiently depleted in the reactive encounter with H at relatively low temperatures. The results obtained from the JS approximation are found to agree well qualitatively with the CS results.     

Quasiclassical trajectory calculations to evaluate a kinematic constraint on internal energy in suprathreshold collision energy abstraction reactions

Experimentally observed product quantum state distributions across a wide range of abstraction reactions at suprathreshold collision energies have shown a strong bias against product internal energy. Only a fraction, sometimes quite a small fraction, of the energetically accessible product quantum states are populated. Picconatto et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 114, 1663 (2001)] noted a simple mathematical relationship between the highest-energy rovibrational states observed and the kinematics of the reaction system. They proposed a reaction model based on reaction kinematics that quantitatively explains this behavior. The model is in excellent agreement with measured quantum state distributions. The assumptions of the model invoke detailed characteristics of reactive trajectories at suprathreshold collision energies. Here we test those assumptions using quasiclassical trajectory calculations for the abstraction reactions H+HCl-->H2+Cl, D+HCl-->HD+Cl, and H+DCl-->HD+Cl. Trajectories were run on a potential-energy surface calculated with a London-Eyring-Polyani-Sato function with a localized 3-center term (LEPS-3C) previously shown to accurately reproduce experimentally observed product state distributions for the H+HCl abstraction reaction. The trajectories sample collision energies near threshold and also substantially above it. Although the trajectories demonstrate some aspects of the model, they show that it is not valid. However, the inadequacy of the proposed model does not invalidate the apparent kinematic basis of the observed energy constraint. The present results show that there must be some other molecular behavior rooted in the reaction kinematics that is the explanation and the source of the constraint.     

Differential cross sections for H + D2 → HD(v' = 2, j' = 0,3,6,9) + D at center-of-mass collision energies of 1.25, 1.61, and 1.97 eV

We have measured differential cross sections (DCSs) for the reaction H + D(2) → HD(v' = 2,j' = 0,3,6,9) + D at center-of-mass collision energies E(coll) of 1.25, 1.61, and 1.97 eV using the photoloc technique. The DCSs show a strong dependence on the product rotational quantum number. For the HD(v' = 2,j' = 0) product, the DCS is bimodal but becomes oscillatory as the collision energy is increased. For the other product states, they are dominated by a single peak, which shifts from back to sideward scattering as j' increases, and they are in general less sensitive to changes in the collision energy. The experimental results are compared to quantum mechanical calculations and show good, but not fully quantitative agreement.     

Real wave packet and quasiclassical trajectory studies of the H+ + LiH reaction

Time-dependent real wave packet (RWP) and quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) calculations have been carried out to study the H(+) + LiH reaction on the ab initio potential-energy surface of Martinazzo et al. [J. Chem. Phys., 2003, 119, 11241]. Total initial state-selected and final state-resolved reaction probabilities for the two possible reaction channels, H(2)(+) + Li and LiH + H(+), have been calculated for total angular momentum J=0 at a broad range of collision energies. Integral cross sections and thermal rate coefficients have been calculated using the QCT method and from the corresponding J=0 RWP reaction probabilities by means of a capture model. The calculated thermal rate coefficients are found to be nearly independent of temperature in the 100-500 K interval with a value of approximately 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1), which is in good agreement with estimates used in evolutionary models of early-Universe lithium chemistry. The RWP results are found to be in good agreement overall with the corresponding QCT calculations.     

Quantum dynamics of H + LiH reaction and its isotopic variants

Time-dependent quantum wave packet dynamics study is carried out to investigate the initial state selected channel specific reactivity of H + LiH collisional system on a new and more accurate ab initio potential energy surface developed by Wernli et al. [J. Phys. Chem. A 113, 1121 (2009)]. The H + LiH reaction proceeds through LiH depletion and H-exchange paths. While the former path is highly exoergic (by ～2.258 eV), the latter path is thermoneutral. State selected and energy resolved integral reaction cross sections and thermal rate constants are reported and compared with the literature data. The reactivity of the LiH depletion channel is found to be greater than the H-exchange channel. Rotational excitation of the reagent LiH molecule causes a decrease of reactivity of both the channels. On the other hand, the vibrational excitation of the reagent LiH decreases the reactivity of the LiH depletion channel and increases the reactivity of the H-exchange channel. The effect of isotopic substitution (H by D) on the reaction dynamics is also examined.     

Quantum and classical studies of the O(3P) + H2(v = 0-3,j = 0) --> OH + H reaction using benchmark potential surfaces

We present results of time-dependent quantum mechanics (TDQM) and quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) studies of the excitation function for O(3P) + H2(v = 0-3,j = 0) --> OH + H from threshold to 30 kcal/mol collision energy using benchmark potential energy surfaces [Rogers et al., J. Phys. Chem. A 104, 2308 (2000)]. For H2(v = 0) there is excellent agreement between quantum and classical results. The TDQM results show that the reactive threshold drops from 10 kcal/mol for v = 0 to 6 for v = 1, 5 for v = 2 and 4 for v = 3, suggesting a much slower increase in rate constant with vibrational excitation above v = 1 than below. For H2(v > 0), the classical results are larger than the quantum results by a factor approximately 2 near threshold, but the agreement monotonically improves until they are within approximately 10% near 30 kcal/mol collision energy. We believe these differences arise from stronger vibrational adiabaticity in the quantum dynamics, an effect examined before for this system at lower energies. We have also computed QCT OH(v',j') state-resolved cross sections and angular distributions. The QCT state-resolved OH(v') cross sections peak at the same vibrational quantum number as the H2 reagent. The OH rotational distributions are also quite hot and tend to cluster around high rotational quantum numbers. However, the dynamics seem to dictate a cutoff in the energy going into OH rotation indicating an angular momentum constraint. The state-resolved OH distributions were fit to probability functions based on conventional information theory extended to include an energy gap law for product vibrations.     

State-to-state reaction probabilities for the H+O2(v,j)-->O+OH(v',j') reaction on three potential energy surfaces

We report state-to-state and total reaction probabilities for J=0 and total reaction probabilities for J=2 and 4 for the title reaction, both for ground-state and initially rovibrationally excited reactants. The results for three different potential energy surfaces are compared and contrasted. The potential energy surfaces employed are the DMBE IV surface by Pastrana et al. [J. Phys. Chem. 94, 8073 (1990)], the surface by Troe and Ushakov (TU) [J. Chem. Phys. 115, 3621 (2001)], and the new XXZLG ab initio surface by Xu et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 122, 244305 (2005)]. Our results show that the total reaction probabilities from both the TU and XXZLG surfaces are much smaller in magnitude for collision energies above 1.2 eV compared to the DMBE IV surface. The three surfaces also show different behavior with regards to the effect of initial state excitation. The reactivity is increased on the XXZLG and the TU surfaces and decreased on the DMBE IV surface. Vibrational and rotational product state distributions for the XXZLG and the DMBE IV surface show different behaviors for both types of distributions. Our results show that for energies above 1.25 eV the dynamics on the DMBE IV surface are not statistical. However, there is also evidence that the dynamics on the XXZLG surface are not purely statistical for energies above the onset of the first excited product vibrational state v'=1. The magnitude of the total reaction probability is decreased for J>0 for the DMBE IV and the XXZLG surfaces for ground-state reactants. However, for initially rovibrationally excited reactants, the total reaction probability does not decrease as expected for both surfaces. As a result the total cross section averaged over all Boltzmann accessible rotational states may well be larger than the cross section reported in the literature for j=1.     

A new expression for the direct quantum mechanical evaluation of the thermal rate constant

Based on the formalism of Miller, Schwartz, and Tromp [J. Chem. Phys. 79, 4889(1983)], we derive a new expression for the thermal rate constant for a chemical reaction. The expression involves an unperturbed, i.e., reactant or product channel Boltzmann operator for the imaginary time propagation, making it possible to compute efficiently the rate constant for a range of temperatures. We illustrate numerical aspects with an extensive study of the one-dimensional Eckart barrier problem, as well as a study of the three-dimensional (J = 0) D + H2 problem.     

Imaging the nature of the mode-specific chemistry in the reaction of Cl atom with antisymmetric stretch-excited CH4

Following up our preliminary communication [Kawamata et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 10, 4378 (2008)], the effects of the antisymmetric-stretching excitation of methane on the Cl((2)P(3/2))+CH(4) reaction are examined here over a wide range of initial collision energy in a crossed molecular beam imaging experiment. The antisymmetric stretch of CH(4) is prepared in a single rovibrational state of (v(3)=1, j=2) by direct infrared absorption, and the major product states of CH(3)(v=0) are probed by a time-sliced velocity-map imaging method. We find that at fixed collision energies, the stretching excitation promotes reaction rate. Compared to the ground-state reaction, this vibrational enhancement factor is, however, no more effective than the translational enhancement. The correlated HCl(v'=1) vibrational branching fraction shows a striking dependence on collision energies, varying from 0.7 at E(c)=2 kcal mol(-1) to about 0.2 at 13 kcal mol(-1). This behavior resembles the previously studied Cl+CH(2)D(2)(v(6)=1), but is in sharp contrast to the Cl+CHD(3)(v(1)=1) and CH(2)D(2)(v(1)=1) reactions. Dependences of experimental results on the probed rotational states of CH(3)(v=0) are also elucidated. We qualitatively interpret those experimental observations based on a conceptual framework proposed recently.     

Influence of collision energy and reagent rotation on the cross sections and product polarizations of the reaction F + HCl

Quasiclassical trajectory calculations have been carried out for the F+HCl reaction in three dimensions on a recent DHSN PES of the ground 1(2)A' electronic state [M. P. Deskevich, M. Y. Hayes, K. Takahashi, R. T. Skodje, and D. J. Nesbitt, J. Chem. Phys. 124, 224303 (2006)]. The effects of the collision energy and the reagent initial rotational excitation on the cross sections and product polarization are studied for the v = 0 and j ≤ 10 states of HCl over a wide collision energy range. It has been found that either the collision energy or the HCl rotational excitation increase remarkably reaction cross sections. The QCT-calculated integral cross sections are in good agreement with previous QM results. A detailed study on product polarization for the title reaction is also performed. The calculated results show that the product rotational angular momentum j' is not only aligned, but also oriented along the direction perpendicular to the scattering plane. The orientation of the HF product rotational angular momentum vector j' depends very sensitively on the collision energy and also affected by the reagent rotation. The theoretical findings and especially the roles of the collision energy and initial rotational momentum on the product polarization are discussed and reasonably explained by the HLH mass combination, the property of the PES, as well as the reactive mechanism.     

Collision-energy dependence of HD(nu'=1,j') product rotational distributions for the H + D2 reaction

Product rotational distributions for the reaction H + D2 --> HD(nu'=1,j') + D have been measured for 16 collision energies in the range of 1.43 < or = E(coll) < or = 2.55 eV. Time-dependent quantum-mechanical calculations agree well in general with the experimental results, but they consistently yield slightly colder distributions. In terms of the average energy channeled into rotation, the differences between experiment and theory amount to approximately 10% for all collision energies sampled. No peculiarity is found for E(coll)=2.55 eV at which the system has sufficient energy to access the first HD2 electronically excited state.     

Quasi-classical trajectory study of the adiabatic reactions occurring on the two lowest-lying electronic states of the LiH2+ system

Quasi-classical trajectory calculations have been performed on the adiabatically allowed reactions taking place on the two lowest-lying electronic states of the LiH2+ system, using the ab initio potential energy surfaces of Martinazzo et al. (J. Chem. Phys., 2003, 119, 11 241). These reactions comprise: (i) the exoergic H2 and H2+ formation occurring through LiH+ + H and LiH + H+ collisions in the ground and in the first electronically excited state, respectively; (ii) the endoergic (ground state) LiH+ dissociation induced by collisions with H atoms; and (iii) the endoergic (excited state) Li + H2+ --> LiH + H+ reaction. The topic is of relevance for a better understanding of the lithium chemistry in the early universe. Thermal rate constants for the above reactions have been computed in the temperature range 10-5000 K and found in reasonably good agreement with estimates based on the capture model.     

Quantum study of Eley-Rideal reaction and collision induced desorption of hydrogen atoms on a graphite surface. II. H-physisorbed case

Following previous investigation of collision induced (CI) processes involving hydrogen atoms chemisorbed on graphite [R. Martinazzo and G. F. Tantardini, J. Chem. Phys. 124, 124702 (2006)], the case in which the target hydrogen atom is initially physisorbed on the surface is considered here. Several adsorbate-substrate initial states of the target H atom in the physisorption well are considered, and CI processes are studied for projectile energies up to 1 eV. Results show that (i) Eley-Rideal cross sections at low collision energies may be larger than those found in the H-chemisorbed case but they rapidly decrease as the collision energy increases; (ii) product hydrogen molecules are vibrationally very excited; (iii) collision induced desorption cross sections rapidly increase, reaching saturation values greater than 10 A2; (iv) trapping of the incident atoms is found to be as efficient as the Eley-Rideal reaction at low energies and remains sizable (3-4 A2) at high energies. The latter adsorbate-induced trapping results mainly in formation of metastable hot hydrogen atoms, i.e., atoms with an excess energy channeled in the motion parallel to the surface. These atoms might contribute in explaining hydrogen formation on graphite.     

Rotationally resolved reactive scattering: imaging detailed Cl+C2H6 reaction dynamics

The hydrogen atom abstraction reaction of Cl (2P3/2) with ethane has been studied using the crossed molecular beam technique with dc slice imaging at collision energies from 3.2 to 10.4 kcal/mol. The products HCl (v,J) (v = 0, J = 0-5) were state-selectively detected using 2+1 resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization. The images were used to obtain the center-of-mass frame product angular distributions and translational energy release distributions. Two general features were found in all probed HCl quantum states at 6.7 kcal/mol collision energy, and these features have distinct translational energy release and angular distributions, as described for HCl (v = 0, J = 2) in a recent preliminary report [Li et al., J. Chem. Phys. 124, 011102 (2006)]. The results for HCl (v = 0, J = 2) at four collision energies were also compared to investigate the energy-dependent dynamics. We discuss the reaction in terms of a variety of models of polyatomic reaction dynamics. The dynamics of this well studied system are more complicated than can be accounted for by a single mechanism, and the results call for further theoretical and experimental investigations.     

Three-vector correlation in statistical reactions: the role of the triatomic parity

This article presents a methodology for the determination of the k-j-k' three-vector correlation assuming a statistical model for atom-diatom reactions; k and k' are the reagent-approach and product-recoil directions, respectively, and j is the rotational angular momentum of the reagent diatomic. Although the polarization of reagent angular momentum is in most cases negligible, conservation of the triatomic parity imposes a certain polarization for some combinations involving low reagent and product rotational states. Statistical and quantum-mechanical polarization-dependent differential cross sections were calculated for the barrierless D(+) + H(2)(v = 0,j) → HD(v' = 0,j') + H(+) reaction. The agreement between the two is in most cases excellent, confirming the statistical character of the reaction at low and moderate collision energies.