Dissociative recombination of water cluster ions with free electrons: cross sections and branching ratios

Dissociative recombination (DR) of water cluster ions H(+)(H(2)O)(n) (n=4-6) with free electrons has been studied at the heavy-ion storage ring CRYRING (Manne Siegbahn Laboratory, Stockholm University). For the first time, branching ratios have been determined for the dominating product channels and absolute DR cross sections have been measured in the energy range from 0.001 to 0.7 eV. Dissociative recombination is concluded to result in extensive fragmentation for all three cluster ions, and a maximum number of heavy oxygen-containing fragments is produced with a probability close to unity. The branching ratio results agree with earlier DR studies of smaller water cluster ions where the channel nH(2)O+H has been observed to dominate and where energy transfer to internal degrees of freedom has been concluded to be highly efficient. The absolute DR cross sections for H(+)(H(2)O)(n) (n=4-6) decrease monotonically with increasing energy with an energy dependence close to E(-1) in the lower part of the energy range and a faster falloff at higher energies, in agreement with the behavior of other studied heavy ions. The cross section data have been used to calculate DR rate coefficients in the temperature range of 10-2000 K. The results from storage ring experiments with water cluster ions are concluded to partly confirm the earlier results from afterglow experiments. The DR rate coefficients for H(+)(H(2)O)(n) (n=1-6) are in general somewhat lower than reported from afterglow experiments. The rate coefficient tends to increase with increasing cluster size, but not in the monotonic way that has been reported from afterglow experiments. The needs for further experimental studies and for theoretical models that can be used to predict the DR rate of polyatomic ions are discussed.     

Dissociative recombination of ammonia clusters studied by storage ring experiments

Dissociative recombination of ammonia cluster ions with free electrons has been studied at the heavy-ion storage ring CRYRING (Manne Siegbahn Laboratory, Stockholm University). The absolute cross sections for dissociative recombination of H+(NH3)2, H+(NH3)3, D+(ND3)2, and D+(ND3)3 in the collision energy range of 0.001-27 eV are reported, and thermal rate coefficients for the temperature interval from 10 to 1000 K are calculated from the experimental data and compared with earlier results. The fragmentation patterns for the two ions H+(NH3)2 and D+(ND3)2 show no clear isotope effect. Dissociative recombination of X+(NX3)2 (X=H or D) is dominated by the product channels 2NX3+X [0.95+/-0.02 for H+(NH3)2 and 1.00+/-0.02 for D+(ND3)2]. Dissociative recombination of D+(ND3)3 is dominated by the channels yielding three N-containing fragments (0.95+/-0.05).     

Isotope exchange in reactions between D2O and size-selected ionic water clusters containing pyridine, H+ (pyridine)m(H2O)n

Pyridine containing water clusters, H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), have been studied both experimentally by a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer and by quantum chemical calculations. In the experiments, H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n) with m = 1-4 and n = 0-80 are observed. For the cluster distributions observed, there are no magic numbers, neither in the abundance spectra, nor in the evaporation spectra from size selected clusters. Experiments with size-selected clusters H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), with m = 0-3, reacting with D(2)O at a center-of-mass energy of 0.1 eV were also performed. The cross-sections for H/D isotope exchange depend mainly on the number of water molecules in the cluster and not on the number of pyridine molecules. Clusters having only one pyridine molecule undergo D(2)O/H(2)O ligand exchange, while H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), with m = 2, 3, exhibit significant H/D scrambling. These results are rationalized by quantum chemical calculations (B3LYP and MP2) for H(+)(pyridine)(1)(H(2)O)(n) and H(+)(pyridine)(2)(H(2)O)(n), with n = 1-6. In clusters containing one pyridine, the water molecules form an interconnected network of hydrogen bonds associated with the pyridinium ion via a single hydrogen bond. For clusters containing two pyridines, the two pyridine molecules are completely separated by the water molecules, with each pyridine being positioned diametrically opposite within the cluster. In agreement with experimental observations, these calculations suggest a "see-saw mechanism" for pendular proton transfer between the two pyridines in H(+)(pyridine)(2)(H(2)O)(n) clusters.     

Dissociative recombination study of Na+ (D2O) in a storage ring

The dissociative recombination of Na(+)(D(2)O) ion has been studied at the heavy-ion storage ring CRYRING (Manne Siegbahn Laboratory, Stockholm University). The cross section has been measured as a function of center-of-mass energy ranging from 1 meV to 0.1 eV and found to have an E(-1.37) dependence. The rate coefficient has been deduced to be (2.3+/-0.32)x10(-7)(T(e)/300)(-0.95+/-0.01) cm(3) s(-1) for T(e)=50-1000 K. The branching ratios have been measured at 0 eV. Of the four energetically accessible dissociation channels, three channels are found to occur although the channel that breaks the weak Na(+)-D(2)O bond is by far dominant.     

Infrared spectroscopy of Cu+(H2O)(n) and Ag+(H2O)(n): coordination and solvation of noble-metal ions

M(+)(H(2)O)(n) and M(+)(H(2)O)(n)Ar ions (M=Cu and Ag) are studied for exploring coordination and solvation structures of noble-metal ions. These species are produced in a laser-vaporization cluster source and probed with infrared (IR) photodissociation spectroscopy in the OH-stretch region using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Density functional theory calculations are also carried out for analyzing the experimental IR spectra. Partially resolved rotational structure observed in the spectrum of Ag(+)(H(2)O)(1) x Ar indicates that the complex is quasilinear in an Ar-Ag(+)-O configuration with the H atoms symmetrically displaced off axis. The spectra of the Ar-tagged M(+)(H(2)O)(2) are consistent with twofold coordination with a linear O-M(+)-O arrangement for these ions, which is stabilized by the s-d hybridization in M(+). Hydrogen bonding between H(2)O molecules is absent in Ag(+)(H(2)O)(3) x Ar but detected in Cu(+)(H(2)O)(3) x Ar through characteristic changes in the position and intensity of the OH-stretch transitions. The third H(2)O attaches directly to Ag(+) in a tricoordinated form, while it occupies a hydrogen-bonding site in the second shell of the dicoordinated Cu(+). The preference of the tricoordination is attributable to the inefficient 5s-4d hybridization in Ag(+), in contrast to the extensive 4s-3d hybridization in Cu(+) which retains the dicoordination. This is most likely because the s-d energy gap of Ag(+) is much larger than that of Cu(+). The fourth H(2)O occupies the second shells of the tricoordinated Ag(+) and the dicoordinated Cu(+), as extensive hydrogen bonding is observed in M(+)(H(2)O)(4) x Ar. Interestingly, the Ag(+)(H(2)O)(4) x Ar ions adopt not only the tricoordinated form but also the dicoordinated forms, which are absent in Ag(+)(H(2)O)(3) x Ar but revived at n=4. Size dependent variations in the spectra of Cu(+)(H(2)O)(n) for n=5-7 provide evidence for the completion of the second shell at n=6, where the dicoordinated Cu(+)(H(2)O)(2) subunit is surrounded by four H(2)O molecules. The gas-phase coordination number of Cu(+) is 2 and the resulting linearly coordinated structure acts as the core of further solvation processes.     

Structure and spectral features of H+(H2O)7: Eigen versus Zundel forms

The two dimensional (2D) to three dimensional (3D) transition for the protonated water cluster has been controversial, in particular, for H(+)(H(2)O)(7). For H(+)(H(2)O)(7) the 3D structure is predicted to be lower in energy than the 2D structure at most levels of theory without zero-point energy (ZPE) correction. On the other hand, with ZPE correction it is predicted to be either 2D or 3D depending on the calculational levels. Although the ZPE correction favors the 3D structure at the level of coupled cluster theory with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples excitations [CCSD(T)] using the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set, the result based on the anharmonic zero-point vibrational energy correction favors the 2D structure. Therefore, the authors investigated the energies based on the complete basis set limit scheme (which we devised in an unbiased way) at the resolution of the identity approximation Moller-Plesset second order perturbation theory and CCSD(T) levels, and found that the 2D structure has the lowest energy for H(+)(H(2)O)(7) [though nearly isoenergetic to the 3D structure for D(+)(D(2)O)(7)]. This structure has the Zundel-type configuration, but it shows the quantum probabilistic distribution including some of the Eigen-type configuration. The vibrational spectra of MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ calculations and Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations, taking into account the thermal and dynamic effects, show that the 2D Zundel-type form is in good agreement with experiments.     

Isotope exchange and structural rearrangements in reactions between size-selected ionic water clusters, H3O(+)(H2O)(n) and NH4(+)(H2O)(n), and D2O

Hydrogen/deuterium exchange in reactions of H3O(+)(H2O)n and NH4(+)(H2O)n (1 < or = n < or = 30) with D2O has been studied experimentally at center-of-mass collisions energies of < or = 0.2 eV. For a given cluster size, the cross-sections for H3O(+)(H2O)n and NH4(+)(H2O)n are similar, indicating a structural resemblance and energetics of binding. For protonated pure water clusters, H3O(+)(H2O)n, reacting with D2O the main H/D exchange mechanism is found to be proton catalyzed. In addition the H/D scrambling becomes close to statistically randomized for the larger clusters. For NH4(+)(H2O)n clusters reacting with D2O, the main mechanism is a D2O/H2O swap reaction. The lifetimes of H3O(+)(H2O)n clusters have been estimated using RRKM theory and a plateau in lifetime vs. cluster size is found already at n = 10.     

Alternative low-energy mechanisms for isotopic exchange in gas-phase D2O-H+(H2O)n reactions.

Molecular-dynamics (MD) trajectories and high-level ab initio methods have been used to study the low-energy mechanism for D(2)O-H(+)(H(2)O)(n) reactions. At low collisional energies, MD simulations show that the collisional complexes are long-lived and undergo fast monomolecular isomerization, converting between different isomers within 50-500 ps. Such processes, primarily involving water-molecule shifts along a water chain, require the surmounting of very-low-energy barriers and present sizable non- Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) effects, which are interpreted as a lack of randomization of the internal kinetic energy. Interestingly, the rate of water shifts was found to increase upon increasing the size of the cluster. Based on these findings, we propose to incorporate the following steps into the mechanism for low-energy isotopic scrambling these D(2)O-H(+)(H(2)O)(n) reactions: a) formation of the collisional complex [H(+)(H(2)O)(n)D(2)O]* in a vibro-rotational excited state; b) incorporation of the heavy-water molecule in the cluster core as HD(2)O(+) by means of isomerization involving molecular shifts; c) displacement of solvation molecules from the first shell of HD(2)O(+) inducing de-deuteration (shift of a D(+) to a neighbor water molecule); d) reorganization of the clusters and/or expulsion of one of the isotopic variants of water (H(2)O, HDO or D(2)O) from the periphery of the complex.     

The importance of NO+ (H2O)4 in the conversion of NO+ (H2O)n to H3O+ (H2O)n: I. Kinetics measurements and statistical rate modeling

The kinetics for conversion of NO(+)(H(2)O)(n) to H(3)O(+)(H(2)O)(n) has been investigated as a function of temperature from 150 to 400 K. In contrast to previous studies, which show that the conversion goes completely through a reaction of NO(+)(H(2)O)(3), the present results show that NO(+)(H(2)O)(4) plays an increasing role in the conversion as the temperature is lowered. Rate constants are derived for the clustering of H(2)O to NO(+)(H(2)O)(1-3) and the reactions of NO(+)(H(2)O)(3,4) with H(2)O to form H(3)O(+)(H(2)O)(2,3), respectively. In addition, thermal dissociation of NO(+)(H(2)O)(4) to lose HNO(2) was also found to be important. The rate constants for the clustering increase substantially with the lowering of the temperature. Flux calculations show that NO(+)(H(2)O)(4) accounts for over 99% of the conversion at 150 K and even 20% at 300 K, although it is too small to be detectable. The experimental data are complimented by modeling of the falloff curves for the clustering reactions. The modeling shows that, for many of the conditions, the data correspond to the falloff regime of third body association.     

Ab initio studies on Al(+)(H(2)O)(n), HAlOH(+)(H(2)O)(n-1), and the size-dependent H(2) elimination reaction

We report computational studies on Al(+)(H(2)O)(n), and HAlOH(+)(H(2)O)(n-1), n = 6-14, by the density functional theory based ab initio molecular dynamics method, employing a planewave basis set with pseudopotentials, and also by conventional methods with Gaussian basis sets. The mechanism for the intracluster H(2) elimination reaction is explored. First, a new size-dependent insertion reaction for the transformation of Al(+)(H(2)O)(n), into HAlOH(+)(H(2)O)(n-1) is discovered for n > or = 8. This is because of the presence of a fairly stable six-water-ring structure in Al(+)(H(2)O)(n) with 12 members, including the Al(+). This structure promotes acidic dissociation and, for n > or = 8, leads to the insertion reaction. Gaussian based BPW91 and MP2 calculations with 6-31G* and 6-31G** basis sets confirmed the existence of such structures and located the transition structures for the insertion reaction. The calculated transition barrier is 10.0 kcal/mol for n = 9 and 7.1 kcal/mol for n = 8 at the MP2/6-31G** level, with zero-point energy corrections. Second, the experimentally observed size-dependent H(2) elimination reaction is related to the conformation of HAlOH(+)(H(2)O)(n-1), instead of Al(+)(H(2)O)(n). As n increases from 6 to 14, the structure of the HAlOH(+)(H(2)O)(n-1) cluster changes into a caged structure, with the Al-H bond buried inside, and protons produced in acidic dissociation could then travel through the H(2)O network to the vicinity of the Al-H bond and react with the hydride H to produce H(2). The structural transformation is completed at n = 13, coincident approximately with the onset of the H(2) elimination reaction. From constrained ab initio MD simulations, we estimated the free energy barrier for the H(2) elimination reaction to be 0.7 eV (16 kcal/mol) at n = 13, 1.5 eV (35 kcal/mol) at n = 12, and 4.5 eV (100 kcal/mol) at n = 8. The existence of transition structures for the H(2) elimination has also been verified by ab initio calculations at the MP2/6-31G** level. Finally, the switch-off of the H(2) elimination for n > 24 is explored and attributed to the diffusion of protons through enlarged hydrogen bonded H(2)O networks, which reduces the probability of finding a proton near the Al-H bond.     

Mechanisms of electron-ion recombination of N2H+/N2D+ and HCO+/DCO+ ions: temperature dependence and isotopic effect

The temperature dependencies of the rate coefficients, alpha(e), for electron-ion dissociative recombination (DR) of N2H+/N2D+ and HCO+/DCO+ ions with electrons have been measured over the range 100-500 K. Also, optical emissions have been detected at approximately 100 K from the N2(B3(pi)g) electronically excited products of N2H+/N2D+ recombination. The measurements were carried out using the classic FALP technique combined with an optical monochromator. For N2H+, there was no variation of alpha(e) with temperature above 200 K, with an average value of alpha(e)(N2H+) = 2.8 x 10(-7) cm3 s(-1). The temperature variation for T approximately 100-300 K observed for alpha(e)(HCO+) is similar to that of N2H+ ions for T approximately 300-500 K. The smaller rate coefficient measured for DCO+ and N2D+ ions shows the influence of an isotope effect. The substantial enhancement of the vibrational level, upsilon' = 6, from the N2B state for N2H+ recombination over N2D+ recombination is consistent with previous result at 300 K and implies the influence of a tunneling mechanism of DR.     

Theoretical Study of Nascent Hydration in the Fe+(H2O)n system

The interactions of the iron monocation with water molecules and argon atoms in the gas phase were studied computationally to elucidate recent infrared vibrational spectroscopy on this system. These calculations employ first-principles all-electron methods performed with B3LYP/DZVP density functional theory. The ground state of Fe(+)(H(2)O) is found to be a quartet (M = 2S + 1 = 4, S is the total spin). Different binding sites for the addition of one or two argon atoms produce several low-lying states of different geometry and multiplicity in a relatively small energy range for Fe(+)(H(2)O)-Ar(2) and Fe(+)(H(2)O)(2)-Ar. In both species, quartet states are lowest in energy, and sextets and doublets lie at higher energies from the respective ground states. These results are consistent with the conclusion that the experimentally determined infrared photodissociation spectra (IRPD) of Fe(+)(H(2)O)-Ar(2) and Fe(+)(H(2)O)(2)-Ar are complicated because of the presence of multiple isomeric structures. The estimated IR bands for the symmetric and asymmetric O-H stretches from different isomers provide new insight into the observed IRPD spectra.     

Electron scattering on OH-(H2O)n clusters (n = 0-4)

The cross sections for electron scattering on OH-(H2O)n for n = 0-4 were measured from threshold to approximately 50 eV. All detachment cross sections were found to follow the classical prediction given earlier [Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 892 (1995)] with a threshold energy for electron-impact detachment that increased upon sequential hydration, yielding values in the range from 4.5 eV +/- 0.2 eV for OH- to 12.10 eV +/- 0.5 eV for OH-(H2O)4. For n > or = 1, we found that approximately 80% of the total reaction events lead to electron detachment plus total dissociation of the clusters into the constituent molecules of OH and H2O. Finally, we observed resonances in the cross sections for OH-(H2O)3 and for OH-(H2O)4. The resonances were located at approximately 15 eV and were ascribed to the formation of dianions in excited states.     

Sequential bond energies and barrier heights for the water loss and charge separation dissociation pathways of Cd(2+)(H2O)n, n = 3-11

The bond dissociation energies for losing one water from Cd(2+)(H(2)O)(n) complexes, n = 3-11, are measured using threshold collision-induced dissociation in a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer coupled with a thermal electrospray ionization source. Kinetic energy dependent cross sections are obtained for n = 4-11 complexes and analyzed to yield 0 K threshold measurements for loss of one, two, and three water ligands after accounting for multiple collisions, kinetic shifts, and energy distributions. The threshold measurements are converted from 0 to 298 K values to give the hydration enthalpies and free energies for sequentially losing one water from each complex. Theoretical geometry optimizations and single point energy calculations are performed on reactant and product complexes using several levels of theory and basis sets to obtain thermochemistry for comparison to experiment. The charge separation process, Cd(2+)(H(2)O)(n) → CdOH(+)(H(2)O)(m) + H(+)(H(2)O)(n-m-1), is also observed for n = 4 and 5 and the competition between this process and water loss is analyzed. Rate-limiting transition states for the charge separation process at n = 3-6 are calculated and compared to experimental threshold measurements resulting in the conclusion that the critical size for this dissociation pathway of hydrated cadmium is n(crit) = 4.     

H-bonding dependent structures of (NH4+)3H+(SO4 2-)2. Mechanisms of phase transitions

The role of different H-bonds in phases II, III, IV, and V of triammonium hydrogen disulfate, (NH(4)(+))(3)H(+)(SO(4)(2)(-))(2), has been studied by X-ray diffraction and (1)H solid-state MAS NMR. The proper space group for phase II is C2/c, for phases III and IV is P2/n, and for phase V is P onemacr;. The structures of phases III and IV seem to be the same. The hydrogen atom participating in the O(-)-H(+).O(-) H-bond in phase II of (NH(4)(+))(3)H(+)(SO(4)(2)(-))(2) at room temperature is split at two positions around the center of the crucial O(-)-H(+).O(-) H-bonding, joining two SO(4)(2)(-) tetrahedra. With decreasing temperature, it becomes localized at one of the oxygen atoms. Further cooling causes additional differentiation of possibly equivalent sulfate dimers. The NH(4)(+) ions participate mainly in bifurcated H-bonds with two oxygen atoms from sulfate anions. On cooling, the major contribution of the bifurcated H-bond becomes stronger, whereas the minor one becomes weaker. This is coupled with rotation of sulfate ions. In all the phases of (NH(4)(+))(3)H(+)(SO(4)(2)(-))(2), some additional, weak but significant, reflections are observed. They are located between the layers of the reciprocal lattice, suggesting possible modulation of the host (NH(4)(+))(3)H(+)(SO(4)(2)(-))(2) structure(s). According to (1)H MAS NMR obtained for phases II and III, the nature of the acidic proton disorder is dynamic, and localization of the proton takes place in a broader range of temperatures, as can be expected from the X-ray diffraction data.     

Dissociative recombination of NH4+ and ND4+ ions: storage ring experiments and ab initio molecular dynamics

The dissociative recombination (DR) process of NH4+ and ND4+ molecular ions with free electrons has been studied at the heavy-ion storage ring CRYRING (Manne Siegbahn Laboratory, Stockholm University). The absolute cross sections for DR of NH4+ and ND4+ in the collision energy range 0.001-1 eV are reported, and thermal rate coefficients for the temperature interval from 10 to 2000 K are calculated from the experimental data. The absolute cross section for NH4+ agrees well with earlier work and is about a factor of 2 larger than the cross section for ND4+. The dissociative recombination of NH4+ is dominated by the product channels NH3+H (0.85+/-0.04) and NH2+2H (0.13+/-0.01), while the DR of ND4+ mainly results in ND3+D (0.94+/-0.03). Ab initio direct dynamics simulations, based on the assumption that the dissociation dynamics is governed by the neutral ground-state potential energy surface, suggest that the primary product formed in the DR process is NH3+H. The ejection of the H atom is direct and leaves the NH3 molecule highly vibrationally excited. A fraction of the excited ammonia molecules may subsequently undergo secondary fragmentation forming NH2+H. It is concluded that the model results are consistent with gross features of the experimental results, including the sensitivity of the branching ratio for the three-body channel NH2+2H to isotopic exchange.     

Communication: rigorous calculation of dissociation energies (D0) of the water trimer, (H2O)3 and (D2O)3

Using a recent, full-dimensional, ab initio potential energy surface [Y. Wang, X. Huang, B. C. Shepler, B. J. Braams, and J. M. Bowman, J. Chem. Phys. 134, 094509 (2011)] together with rigorous diffusion Monte Carlo calculations of the zero-point energy of the water trimer, we report dissociation energies, D(0), to form one monomer plus the water dimer and three monomers. The calculations make use of essentially exact zero-point energies for the water trimer, dimer, and monomer, and benchmark values of the electronic dissociation energies, D(e), of the water trimer [J. A. Anderson, K. Crager, L. Fedoroff, and G. S. Tschumper, J. Chem. Phys. 121, 11023 (2004)]. The D(0) results are 3855 and 2726 cm(-1) for the 3H(2)O and H(2)O + (H(2)O)(2) dissociation channels, respectively, and 4206 and 2947 cm(-1) for 3D(2)O and D(2)O + (D(2)O)(2) dissociation channels, respectively. The results have estimated uncertainties of 20 and 30 cm(-1) for the monomer plus dimer and three monomer of dissociation channels, respectively.     

The mechanism of proton exchange: guided ion beam studies of the reactions, H(H2O)n+ (n=1-4)+D2O and D(D2O)n+ (n=1-4)+H2O

Reactions of protonated water clusters, H(H(2)O)(n) (+) (n=1-4) with D(2)O and their "mirror" reactions, D(D(2)O)(n) (+) (n=1-4) with H(2)O, are studied using guided-ion beam mass spectrometry. Absolute reaction cross sections are determined as a function of collision energy from thermal energy to over 10 eV. At low collision energies, we observe reactions in which H(2)O and D(2)O molecules are interchanged and reactions where H-D exchange has occurred. As the collision energy is increased, the H-D exchange products decrease and the water exchange products become dominant. At high collision energies, processes in which one or more water molecules are lost from the reactant ions become important, with simple collision-induced dissociation processes, i.e., those without H-D exchange, being dominant. Threshold energies of endothermic channels are measured and used to determine binding energies of the proton bound complexes, which are consistent with those determined by thermal equilibrium measurements and previous collision-induced dissociation studies. A kinetic scheme that relies only on the ratio of isomerization and dissociation rate constants successfully accounts for the kinetic energy dependence observed in the branching ratios for H-D and water exchange products in all systems. Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory and ab initio calculations confirm the feasibility and establish the details of this kinetic model.     

A kinetic study of the reactions of Ca+ ions with O3, O2, N2, CO2 and H2O

The reactions between Ca(+)(4(2)S(1/2)) and O(3), O(2), N(2), CO(2) and H(2)O were studied using two techniques: the pulsed laser photo-dissociation at 193 nm of an organo-calcium vapour, followed by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy of Ca(+) at 393.37 nm (Ca(+)(4(2)P(3/2)-4(2)S(1/2))); and the pulsed laser ablation at 532 nm of a calcite target in a fast flow tube, followed by mass spectrometric detection of Ca(+). The rate coefficient for the reaction with O(3) is essentially independent of temperature, k(189-312 K) = (3.9 +/- 1.2) x 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), and is about 35% of the Langevin capture frequency. One reason for this is that there is a lack of correlation between the reactant and product potential energy surfaces for near coplanar collisions. The recombination reactions of Ca(+) with O(2), CO(2) and H(2)O were found to be in the fall-off region over the experimental pressure range (1-80 Torr). The data were fitted by RRKM theory combined with quantum calculations on CaO(2)(+), Ca(+).CO(2) and Ca(+).H(2)O, yielding the following results with He as third body when extrapolated from 10(-3)-10(3) Torr and a temperature range of 100-1500 K. For Ca(+) + O(2): log(10)(k(rec,0)/cm(6) molecule(-2) s(-1)) = -26.16 - 1.113log(10)T- 0.056log(10)(2)T, k(rec,infinity) = 1.4 x 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), F(c) = 0.56. For Ca(+) + CO(2): log(10)(k(rec,0)/ cm(6) molecule(-2) s(-1)) = -27.94 + 2.204log(10)T- 1.124log(10)(2)T, k(rec,infinity) = 3.5 x 10(-11) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), F(c) = 0.60. For Ca(+) + H(2)O: log(10)(k(rec,0)/ cm(6) molecule(-2) s(-1)) = -23.88 - 1.823log(10)T- 0.063log(10)(2)T, k(rec,infinity) = 7.3 x 10(-11)exp(830 J mol(-1)/RT) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), F(c) = 0.50 (F(c) is the broadening factor). A classical trajectory analysis of the Ca(+) + CO(2) reaction is then used to investigate the small high pressure limiting rate coefficient, which is significantly below the Langevin capture frequency. Finally, the implications of these results for calcium chemistry in the mesosphere are discussed.     

Investigating the breakup dynamics of dihydrogen sulfide ions recombining with electrons

This paper presents results concerning measurements of the dissociative recombination (DR) of dihydrogen sulfide ions. In combination with the ion storage ring CRYRING an imaging technique was used to investigate the breakup dynamics of the three-body channel in the DR of 32SD2(+). The two energetically available product channels S(3P) + 2D(2S) and S(1D) + 2D(2S) were both populated, with a branching fraction of the ground-state channel of 0.6(0.1). Information about the angle between the two deuterium atoms upon dissociation was obtained together with information about how the available kinetic energy was distributed between the two light fragments. The recombination cross sections as functions of energy in the interval of 1 meV to 0.3 eV in the center-of-mass frame are presented for 34SH2(+). The thermal rate coefficient for the DR of 34SH2(+) was determined to be (4.8+/-1.0) x 10(-7)(T/300)(-0.72+/-0.1) cm3 s(-1) over this interval.