Distribution of reaction products (theory). XI. H + F2

The availability for the first time of detailed rate constants k(V′, R′, T′) (where V′, R′ and T′ are product vibrational, rotational and translational excitation) for the highly exothermic reaction H + F₂ → HF(V′, R′) + F has prompted the 3D classical-trajectory study reported here. The potential-energy surface is found to be predominantly repulsive ($\text{A}$_⊥ ≈ 42%, R_⊥ ≈ 58%) corresponding to the rather low fractional conversion of reaction energy into vibration ((f′V) = 0.58 from experiment, and 0.56 from theory). In the homologous series of reactions H + X₂ (X  F, Cl, Br, I) the percentage of repulsive energy-release decreases for X  Cl, Br, I, but increases from X  F to Cl. It is shown that this cannot be due to charge in mass-combination, but can plausibly be explained by the anomolously short range of interaction between the separating X atoms in the case X  F. It is predicted that the more-forward scattered HF will be more rotationally excited. The form of the cross section function S_r(T) (where T is reagent translation) is analysed. In accordance with the expectation for a strongly exothermic reaction, it is found that S_r(T) rises more steeply than S_r(V) (where V is reagent vibrational energy). The effect on the product energy distribution conforms qualitatively to the “adiabatic” behaviour noted in previous work: ΔT → ΔT′ + ΔR′; ΔV → ΔV′. The explanation is to be found in reaction through more-compressed or more-extended intermediate configurations than are characteristic of room temperature reaction. We note the existence of an amplification effect: (ΔT′ + ΔR′)/ΔT ≈ 2, and ΔV′/ΔV ≈ 2.