Vibrational mode and collision energy effects on reaction of H2CO+ with C2H2: charge state competition and the role of Franck-Condon factors in endoergic charge transfer

The effects of collision energy (E(col)) and six different H(2)CO(+) vibrational states on the title reaction have been studied over the center-of-mass E(col) range from 0.1 to 2.6 eV, including measurements of product ion recoil velocity distributions. Ab initio and Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus calculations were used to examine the properties of complexes and transition states that might be important in mediating the reaction. Reaction is largely direct, despite the presence of multiple deep wells on the potential surface. Five product channels are observed, with a total reaction cross section at the collision limit. The competition among the major H(2) (+) transfer, hydrogen transfer, and proton transfer channels is strongly affected by E(col) and H(2)CO(+) vibrational excitation, providing insight into the factors that control competition and charge state "unmixing" during product separation. One of the more interesting results is that endoergic charge transfer appears to be controlled by Franck-Condon factors, implying that it occurs at large inter-reactant separations, contrary to the expectation that endoergic reactions should require intimate collisions to drive the necessary energy conversion.