Hermaphroditism in chemical dynamics: the reaction Ba + Cl2 → BaCl + Cl

The reaction Ba + Cl₂ → BaCl + Cl proceeds through different electronic channels with diametrically opposite collision dynamics: ground state BaCl(X²Σ) is formed via a direct interaction as witnessed by forward scattering and a strongly inverted internal state distribution. Electronically excited BaCl^*(C²Π) is formed via a long-lived collision complex, indicated by a statistical vibrational distribution. A simple RRK argument explains the differences of lifetimes towards unimolecular decomposition of the collision complexes. A lower limit of the BaCl(X²Σ⁺) dissociation energy is placed at 121 kcal/mole.