Energy partitioning in the reaction O(1D) + H2O → OH + OH. V. Rotational relaxation of OH(X2Π, ν″, J″)

The rotational relaxation of OH(X²Π, ν″, J″) in ν″, = 0, 1, and 2 produced from the reaction of O (¹D) with H₂O has been studied as a function of H₂O vapor pressure and added argon. Water molecules are extremely efficient in bringing about relaxation and the experiments performed indicate that, on the average, the high temperature distribution is relaxed to nearly room temperature at a gas kinetic rate. This observation is rationalized by assumming a collision complex between OH and H₂O having a quasichemical interaction similar to weak hydrogen bonding. The nascent OH internal energy distribution does not depend upon the translational energy of the O(¹D) reactant. Translational relaxation of the nascent OH product by H₂O is fast, as fast as rotational relaxation.     

The rotational excitation and population distribution of OH(A2Σ+) produced by electron impact on water

The rotational excitation and population distributions in OH(A²Σ⁺, υ′ = 0) have been determined by analyzing the OH(A²Σ⁺ → X²Π_i) emission spectrum. The spectrum results from the impact of mon-energetic electrons (0–100 eV) on water vapour. It is shown that these rotational distributions of the OH(A²Σ⁺) state depend on the electron impact energy and have contributions from singlet and triplet states of water. The contribution from each dissociative state of water can be described by a Boltzmann distribution, both in the case of rotational excitation and population.Three distribution parameters (“temperatures”) for rotational excitation are obtained, namely 13800 K and 2900 K for the singlet contributions and 4000 K for the triplet contribution. The corresponding distribution parameters for the rotational population are 30000, 3300, and 4800 K, respectively. The results are discussed in view of recent theoretical calculations on water energy levels.     

Abstraction versus insertion in the reaction O(1D2)+H2→OH(υ″ = 2) + H

The product hydroxyl radical arising from the reaction O(¹D₂)+H₂→OH+H was detected by LIF following excitation of the off-diagonal transition OH(A²Σ⁺, υ′=1←X²Π, υ″=2) in the region 348–357 nm. The rotational population distribution in υ″=2 appears to be inverted and quite similar to that previously reported for υ″=0 and 1. Because rotationally cool OH was not observed, there is no evidence for the existence of an abstractive pathway in which the subject reaction occurs without the initial formation, via insertion, of a chemically activated HOH collision complex.     

Dynamic aspects of the reaction O(1D) + H2S → OH + SH

The energy distribution of nascent OH(²Π, υ, J) produced in the reaction of O(¹D) with H₂S has been measured by laser-induced fluorescence. The rotational distributions in υ″ = 0 and υ″ = 1 are Boltzmannian with temperature parameters T_r″-0 = 2300 ± 100 K and T_r⁻-1 = 2650 ± 150 K. A population ratio N(υ″ = 1)/N(υ″ = 0) = 0.17 is observed. The product-state distribution over the different spin and A components is statistically within the experimental uncertainty of 20%. A comparison of the OH product populations from the title reaction with the well known OH yield from the O(¹D)+H₂O reaction shows that 25% of the reactive encounters follow the reaction channel which produces OH in υ″ = 0 and υ″ = 1.     

Dissociative excitation of water by metastable argon

The reaction Ar(²P_2,0) + H₂O → Ar + H + OH(A²Σ⁺)was studied in crossed molecular beams by observing the luminescence from OH(A²Σ⁺). No significant dependence of the spectrum on collision energy was found over the 22–52 meV region. Spectral simulation was used to obtain the OH(A) vibrational distribution and rotational temperature, assuming a Boltzmann rotational distribution. Since predissociation is known to strongly affect the rovibrational distribution, the individual rotational state lifetimes were included in the simulation program and were used to obtain the average vibrational state lifetimes. Excellent agreement with experiment was obtained for vibrational population ratios N₀/N₁/N₂ of 1.00/ 0.40/0.013 and a rotational temperature of 4000 K. Correction for the different average vibrational lifetimes gave formation rate ratios P₀/P₁/P₂ of 1.00/0.49/0.25. The differences between these results and those from flowing afterglow studies on the same system are discussed. Three reaction mechanisms are considered, and the vibrational prior distributions are calculated from a simple density-of-states model. Only fair agreement with experiment is obtained. The best agreement for the mechanisms giving OH(A) in two 2-body dissociation steps is obtained by assuming 1.0 eV of internal energy remains in the second step. The OH(A) vibrational population distribution of the present work is similar to that found in the photolysis of H₂O at 122 nm, where there is 1.10 eV of excess internal energy.     

Detection of nitrogen rotational distributions by resonant 2 + 2 multiphoton ionization through the a1Πg state

Characterization of laser 2 + 2 multiphoton ionization of nitrogen to obtain rotational state distributions has been investigated via the resonant two-photon transition a ¹Π_g(ν = 1) ← X ¹Σ_g(ν = 0). For room-temperature nitrogen, the spectral intensities and state distribution are directly related and give rotational temperatures of 290 ± 20 K. For power densities of 3 GW/cm², the ionization probability is 1 × 10⁻⁵ per N₂ molecule per average rotational state.     

The far-infrared rotational spectrum of the CF radical

The rotational spectrum of CF in its ground electronic state was studied around 1000 GHz, using a tunable far-infrared source. Seven transitions were observed originating from the ²Π_1/2 and ²Π_3/2 substates. The hyperfine and Λ-type splittings were resolved. The results were combined with gas-phase electron resonance and infrared diode laser spectra to determine all pertinent molecular constants.     

Formation of hydroxyl radical from the photolysis of salicylic acid

Photodissociation dynamics of salicylic acid (SA) in the gas phase at different photolysis wavelengths (266, 315-317 nm) is investigated by probing the nascent OH photoproduct employing the single-photon laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique. At all the photolysis wavelengths it is found that the nascent OH radicals are produced mostly in a vibrationally ground state (υ' = 0) and have similar rotational state distributions. The two spin-orbit and Λ-doublet states of the OH fragment formed in the dissociation are measured to have a nonstatistical distribution at each photolysis wavelength. The LIF signal of the OH could be observed upon photolysis at 317 nm but not at 317.5 nm. The threshold of OH formation from SA photodissociation is estimated to be 98.2 ± 0.9 kcal/mol. The effect of the phenolic OH group on the dissociation of SA is discussed.     

Rotational state populations and angular distributions on surface scattered molecules: No on graphite

Rotational state populations and angular distributions of NO molecules were determined after the scattering of a supersonic beam from a graphite surface at different surface temperatures. The angular distributions exhibit an isotropic and a specular part. The rotational population of the scattered molecules can be described by Boltzmann distributions with identical temperatures for both electronic ground states²Π_½ and²Π_3/2 and both scattering components. The rotational temperature agrees with the surface temperature below 170 K and converges to a constant value of 250 K for surface temperatures higher than 350 K.     

Sensitized fluorescence of diatomic free radicals by Hg(63P0) metastables

Mercury 6³P₀ metastables were shown to sensitize the emission of a number of diatomic free radicals (HgH, HgCl, CN, OH, and NH) of photochemical interest. Evidence is presented that the energy transfer process is a non-Franck-Condon one at least for HgCl and CN. An inverse rotational temperature dependence on nitrogen pressure was observed for the HgH(²Π_{$\text{1}\text{2}$}) u′ = 0 state and attributed to near resonant rotational-rotational relaxation processes involving the zeroth and first vibrational levels.     

Initial distribution of vibration of the OH radicals produced in the H + O3 → OH(X2Π1/2,3/2) + O2 reaction. Chemiluminescence by a crossed beam technique

The chemiluminescence in the H + O₃ → OH(X²Π_1/2,3/2) + O₂ reaction was observed using a crossed beam technique. The initial population of the OH radicals in the vibrational state v (4 ⩽ v ⩽ 9) were found to be N(9) = 1.0, N(8) = 0.95 ± 0.1, N(7) = 0.9 ± 0.2, N(6) = 0.2 ± 0.1 and N(5) = N(4) = 0.2 ± 0.2. The total cross section of the formation of OH(4 ⩽ v ⩽ 9) was estimated to be of the order of 10⁻² nm². No chemiluminescence was observed in the reaction D + O₃ → OD(X²Π_1/2,3/2) + O₂ under the present experimental conditions.     

Analysis of Nascent Rotational Energy Distributions and Reaction Mechanisms of the Gas‐Phase Radical–Radical Reaction O(3P)+(CH3)2CH→C3H6+OH

This paper reports on the gas‐phase radical–radical dynamics of the reaction of ground‐state atomic oxygen [O(³P), from the photodissociation of NO₂] with secondary isopropyl radicals [(CH₃)₂CH, from the supersonic flash pyrolysis of isopropyl bromide]. The major reaction channel, O(³P)+(CH₃)₂CH→C₃H₆ (propene)+OH, is examined by high‐resolution laser‐induced fluorescence spectroscopy in crossed‐beam configuration. Population analysis shows bimodal nascent rotational distributions of OH (X²Π) products with low‐ and high‐N′′ components in a ratio of 1.25:1. No significant spin–orbit or Λ‐doublet propensities are exhibited in the ground vibrational state. Ab initio computations at the CBS‐QB3 theory level and comparison with prior theory show that the statistical method is not suitable for describing the main reaction channel at the molecular level. Two competing mechanisms are predicted to exist on the lowest doublet potential‐energy surface: direct abstraction, giving the dominant low‐N′′ components, and formation of short‐lived addition complexes that result in hot rotational distributions, giving the high‐N′′ components. The observed competing mechanisms contrast with previous bulk kinetic experiments conducted in a fast‐flow system with photoionization mass spectrometry, which suggested a single abstraction pathway. In addition, comparison of the reactions of O(³P) with primary and tertiary hydrocarbon radicals allows molecular‐level discussion of the reactivity and mechanism of the title reaction.     

Photodissociation of room-temperature and jet-cooled water at 193 nm

The photodissociation dynamics of water in its first absorption band has been studied in detail by photolyzing room-tempera-ture and jet-cooled H₂O with an ArF excimer laser at 193 nm. The fate of the ejected OH(X ²Π) photofragments was probed by laser-induced fluorescence. The excess energy is transferred almost exclusively into translational motion of the products, ∂_t = 0.97. The rotational distribution depends strongly on the initial temperature. For warm water (T = 300 K), the rotational distribution can be described by a Boltzmann distribution with a temperature parameter of 400 K. No significant difference between the two Λ components, probed via Q and R, P lines, was observed. In the case of jet-cooled H₂O the rotational distribution of the Π⁻ component of the Λ doublets can be described by a temperature parameter of 330 K; that of the Π⁺ component strongly deviates from a Boltzmann distribution. The Λ doublet population shows an increasing inversion with increasing J_OH. The dissociation process does not distinguish between the two spin-orbit states and the spin is only a spectator in the dissociation process of H₂O at 193 nm. These results are compared with observations of the photolysis of water at 157 nm.     

Dynamics of N-OH bond dissociation in cyclopentanone and cyclohexanone oxime at 193 nm: laser-induced fluorescence detection of nascent OH (v', J')

Cyclohexanone oxime (CHO) and cyclopentanone oxime (CPO) in the vapor phase undergo N-OH bond scission upon excitation at 193 nm to produce OH, which was detected state selectively employing laser-induced fluorescence. The measured energy distribution between fragments for both oximes suggests that in CHO the OH produced is mostly vibrationally cold, with moderate rotational excitation, whereas in CPO the OH fragment is also formed in v' = 1 (~2%). The rotational population of OH (v' = 0, J') from CHO is characterized by a rotational temperature of 1440 ± 80 K, whereas the rotational populations of OH (v' = 0, J') and OH (v' = 1, J') from CPO are characterized by temperatures of 1360 ± 90 K and 930 ± 170 K, respectively. A high fraction of the available energy is partitioned to the relative translation of the fragments with f(T) values of 0.25 and 0.22 for CHO and CPO, respectively. In the case of CHO, the Λ-doublet states of the nascent OH radical are populated almost equally in lower rotational quantum levels N', with a preference for Π(+) (A') states for higher N'. However, there is no preference for either of the two spin orbit states Π(3/2) and Π(1/2) of OH. The nascent OH product in CPO is equally distributed in both Λ-doublet states of Π(+) (A') and Π(-) (A') for all N', but has a preference for the Π(3/2) spin orbit state. Experimental work in combination with theoretical calculations suggests that both CHO and CPO molecules at 193 nm are excited to the S(2) state, which undergoes nonradiative relaxation to the T(2) state. Subsequently, molecules undergo the N-OH bond dissociation from the T(2) state with an exit barrier to produce OH (v', J').     

On a simple reaction mechanism for the collision-induced dissociation He + Li2(B1Πu) → He + Li(2 2S) + Li(2 2P)

A simple reaction mechanism is suggested for the dissociation of electronically excited Li₂(B¹Π_u) in collision with rare-gas atoms. Experimental rate constants for dissociation of Li₂ in specific vibrational—rotational levels (ν1J) show an unexpected behaviour as a function of the initial molecular energy and angular momentum. We propose that raction proceeds by a transition to the ¹Π_g state of Li₂. This may dissociate more readily since it is more weakly bound and has a larger equilibrium distance than the ¹Π_u state.     

Experimental determination of level shift and broadening by predissociation of the B3Π0· state of ICl

From the semiclassical analysis of the coupling between discrete molecular levels and continuum levels simple relations for the level shift and the level broadening are known. Laser spectroscopy on the transition is B³Π₀·?X¹Σ⁺ is applied to demonstrate the overall validity of these relations in the rotational ladder of the vibrational state υ′ = 3 of B³Π₀·. Deviations for low rotational quantum numbers might be attributed to the still unresolved hyperfine structure and the possible hyperfine predissociation and for very large rotational quantum numbers to the distortion through a coupling with a second continuum.     

CEPA calculations of potential energy surfaces for open-shell systems.: IV. Photodissociation of H2O in the A1B1 state

A three-dimensional potential energy surface for the photodissociation of H₂O in its lowest excited singlet state $\text{A}$¹B₁ in C_2v or $\text{A}$¹A″ in C₃ symmetry, respectively, has been calculated with quantum-chemical ab initio methods including electron correlation. The main features of the surface are discussed and qualitative explanations are given for the experimentally observed vibrational and rotational excitations of the product OH(²Π) radicals. The surface will be used in subsequent investigations of the dynamics of the H₂O photodissociation process.     

Thermal energy charge transfer reactions of Ar+ ions with HBr and DBr molecules

HBr⁺ (A²Σ⁺-X²Π_i) and DBr⁺ (A²Σ⁺-X²Π_i) emissions are found up to v′=1 and v^′=2, respectively, from the thermal energy charge transfer reactions of Ar⁺ with HBr and DBr molecules in a flowing afterglow apparatus. Both A-state vibrational distributions have a peak at the lowest vibrational level, which are inconsistent with those expected from the energy resonance and/or Franck-Condon factors for ionization. This discrepancy is explained in terms of the distortion of target molecules by approach of reactant ions. Both A-state rotational distributions show that energies partitioned into rotation decrease with increasing vibrational levels, whereas the internal energy is nearly constant for all vibrational levels. The vibrational and rotational distributions obtained suggest that the reaction occurs at a relatively short distance and the product has a broad translational energy distribution.     

A measurement of vibrational excitation in NO produced in the photodissociatton of NOCl and NOBr at 193nm

Infrared emission has been observed from the vibrational state v_n (n from 1 to ? 16) of the nascent NO(X²Π) photo-fragment produced in the photodissociation of NOCl and NOBr at 193 nm. The photodissociation was observed to be a single-photon process. Models and mechanisms of photodissociation are discussed in view of experimental observations.     

Predissociation of the c3Πu state of H2, populated after charge exchange of H2+ with several targets at keV energies

A detailed study of the predissocitation of the c³Π_u state of H₂ has been made with a new, very sensitive, experimental technique. A resolution better than 1% is obtained in the measurement of the released kinetic energy of HH pairs after charge exchange of H₂⁺ with Ar, H₂, Mg, Na and Cs by detecting both fragments with a time- and position-sensitive microchannel-plate detector. Eighteen vibrational levels of the c³Π_u state can be clearly distinguished in the range of 7.2–10.2 eV. Detailed information is extracted from the spectra with the aid of a convolution procedure. The vibrational energy levels of the c³Π_u state as calculated by Ko?os and Rychlewski are found to be correct within the experimental accuracy of 5 meV. Predissociative lifetimes are measured, yielding 6.2±0.5 ns for the lowest rovibrational level (υ = 0, N = 1), which are in good agreement with theoretical calculations of Comtet and de Bruijn. The cross section for charge exchange is observed to increase gradually with the vibrational level and seems to follow the geometrical cross section of the molecule. Rotational excitation during the charge exchange is also found to increase considerably with the vibrational quantum number. The final rotational temperature further depends strongly on the target gas used and increases with the resonance energy defect ΔI in the charge exchange collision.