Application of the united atom model for estimating the lifetime of negative molecular ions relative to electron autodetachment

A model proposed for describing the scattering of low-energy electrons (whose energy ranges between thermal energy and several electronvolts) from polyatomic molecules makes it possible to estimate the lifetime of shape resonances. The parameters of the model are determined by specific structural and experimental characteristics of molecules. The results of approximate computations of the lifetimes for negative ions of molecules with different symmetries (diatomic halogens, parabenzoquinone, fullerene C₆₀, benzothiadiazoles, anthraquinone derivatives, and substituted benzene forms) are presented. The obtained data show that the lifetimes are sufficient for the formation of fragment ions observed in the mass spectra of negative ions.