Quantum state specific dynamics for the O(1D)+HD→OD+H reaction

Feshbach resonances in D + HD(v = 1, j = 0) reaction at low collision energies

Feshbach resonances in D + HD(v = 1, j = 0) reaction are studied by using the time-independent quantum method. The integral cross section (ICS) results present three Feshbach resonance peaks, which are different from H + HD(v = 1, j = 0) reaction dominated by only one peak. These resonances are attributed to coupling with adiabatic effective potentials of D + HD(v = 1, j = 1) reaction, and the most obvious peak is contributed by J = 1 at 83.16 cm^-1 collision energy. For J = 0 and 2, the resonances are related with the same L partial wave and present a double-peak structure in total ICS. The characteristics of product angular distribution show that the resonance of J = 1 is long-lived, while the lifetimes are relatively shorter for the resonance of J = 0 and 2.

Dynamics study on the non-adiabatic Na(3p) + HD → NaH/NaD + D/H reaction: insertion-abstraction mechanism

Time-dependent wave packet calculations are carried out for two reaction channels of the non-adiabatic Na(3p) + HD → NaH/NaD + D/H reaction. The potential well on the excited state potential energy surface makes the reaction preferable to proceed through the insertion reaction path. The dominance of the NaD + H reaction channel and product rotational state distributions are found to be in agreement with the characteristics of typical adiabatic insertion reactions. However, significant forward scattering peaks in the differential cross sections (DCS) are found to be inconsistent with the forward-backward symmetric scattering characteristic of typical adiabatic insertion reactions, which indicate that the Na(3p) + HD reaction is dominated by a direct reaction mechanism. The comparison between adiabatic and non-adiabatic calculated DCSs reveals that the non-adiabatic couplings in the reaction could reduce the lifetime of the intermediate complex. Finally, the insertion-abstraction mechanism is put forward for the non-adiabatic Na(3p) + HD reaction.

Experimental and Theoretical Study of the O(1D) + HD Reaction

This work addresses the kinetics and dynamics of the gas-phase reaction between O(¹D) and HD molecules down to low temperature. Here, measurements were performed by using a supersonic flow (Laval nozzle) reactor coupled with pulsed laser photolysis for O(¹D) production and pulsed-laser-induced fluorescence for O(¹D) detection to obtain rate constants over the 50-300 K range. Additionally, temperature-dependent branching ratios (OD + H/OH + D) were obtained experimentally by comparison of the H/D atom atom yields with those of a reference reaction. In parallel, theoretical rate constants and branching ratios were calculated by using three different techniques; mean potential phase space theory (MPPST), the statistical quantum mechanical method (SQM), and ring polymer molecular dynamics (RPMD). Although the agreement between experimental and theoretical rate constants is reasonably good, with differences not exceeding 30% over the entire temperature range, the theoretical branching ratios derived by the MPPST and SQM methods are as much as 50% larger than the experimental ones. These results are presented in the context of earlier work, while the possible origins of the discrepancies between experiment and theory are discussed.

A quasi-classical trajectory study of the reagent initial rotation quantum state effect on the reaction He + T2+ → HeT+ + T using an improved ab initio potential energy surface

In this work, we employed the quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) method to study the vector correlations and the influence of the reagent initial rotational quantum number j for the reaction He + T2+ (v = 0, j = 0–3) → HeT+ + T on a new potential energy surface (PES). The PES was improved by Aquilanti co-workers (Chem. Phys. Lett. 2009. 469: 26–30). The polarization-dependent differential cross sections (PDDCSs) and the distributions of P(θr), P([Formula: see text]r), and P(θr, [Formula: see text]r) are presented in this work. The plots of the PDDCSs provide us with abundant information about the distribution of the product angular momentum polarization. The P(θr) is used to describe the correlation between k (the relative velocity of the reagent) and j′ (the product rotational angular momentum). The distribution of dihedral angle P([Formula: see text]r) shows the k–k′–j′ (k′ refers to the relative velocity of the product) correlation. The PDDCS calculations illustrate that the product of this reaction is mainly backward scatter and it has the strongest polarization in the backward and sideways scattering directions. At the same time, the results of the P([Formula: see text]r) demonstrate that the product HeT+ tends to be oriented along the positive direction of the y axis and it tends to rotate right-handedly in planes parallel to the scattering plane. Moreover, the distribution of the P(θr) manifests that the product angular momentum is aligned along different directions relative to k. The direction of the product alignment may be perpendicular, opposite, or parallel to k. Moreover, our calculations are independent of the initial rotational quantum number.

State-to-State Dynamics of Elementary Bimolecular Reactions

The study of state-to-state dynamics of elementary bimolecular reactions has provided remarkable insights into chemical reactivity at the most fundamental level. This review covers exciting developments in this important field in the past decade. I focus on recent studies of quantum-state-resolved molecular-beam reactive-scattering studies of elementary chemical reactions, from triatomic to polyatomic systems. Researchers have made great advances in the fundamental understanding of many elementary chemical reactions through state-to-state dynamics studies. The strong interaction between theory and experiment has significantly enhanced our understanding of the dynamics of these reactions. I hope this review provides a glimpse of this exciting research field to both experts and beginners.

Dynamics of insertion reactions of H2 molecules with excited atoms

Recent progress in the study of insertion reactions of hydrogen molecules with excited atoms is reviewed in this article. In particular, the dynamics of the reaction of O(1D), N(2D), C(1D), and S(1D) with H2 and its isotopomers, which have received a great deal of attention over the past decade, are examined in detail. All of these systems have in common the existence of several potential energy surfaces (PES) correlating with the reagents' states, and consequently, they can give rise to reaction following different adiabatic and nonadiabatic pathways. The main contribution, however, arises from their ground singlet PESs which feature the existence of deep wells with small or null barriers for insertion. Accordingly, these reactions proceed mainly via formation of relatively long-lived collision complexes and display an overall nearly statistical behavior. In spite of their similarities, the various reactions have peculiar characteristics caused by important differences of their respective PESs. The contribution of excited PES to the global reactivity, which has also become an important issue and a challenge both for theory and experiment, is also examined. The different theoretical approaches are discussed in the text, along with the experimental results obtained by a variety of techniques. The recent exact quantum treatments of these reactive systems together with the development of a rigorous statistical model have contributed to a very accurate description which in many cases matches very well the detailed measurements. The quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) method has also provided a fairly accurate description of the reaction dynamics for these systems. In particular, the analysis in terms of collision times has yielded interesting clues about the reaction mechanisms.

Experimental and quantum dynamical study on an asymmetric insertion reaction: state-to-state dynamics of O(1D) + HD(1Sigmag+, v' = 0, j' = 0)-->OH(Pi, v", N") + D(2S)

Quantum-state-resolved differential cross sections of the O((1)D) + HD --> OH + D reaction at the collision energy of 7.11 kJ/mol has been determined experimentally and theoretically. The results of the time-dependent wave-packet calculations are overall in good agreement with the crossed beam scattering data, providing a benchmark example of an asymmetric insertion reaction at the state-to-state scattering level. The good agreement between experiment and theory suggests that the underlying ground potential energy surface is generally correct and that the nonadiabatic effect involving the electronic excited pathway is apparently small in this system.

Experimental and Theoretical Differential Cross Sections for the N(2D) + H2 Reaction

In this paper, we report a combined experimental and theoretical study on the dynamics of the N(2D) + H2 insertion reaction at a collision energy of 15.9 kJ mol(-1). Product angular and velocity distributions have been obtained in crossed beam experiments and simulated by using the results of quantum mechanical (QM) scattering calculations on the accurate ab initio potential energy surface (PES) of Pederson et al. (J. Chem. Phys. 1999, 110, 9091). Since the QM calculations indicate that there is a significant coupling between the product angular and translational energy distributions, such a coupling has been explicitly included in the simulation of the experimental results. The very good agreement between experiment and QM calculations sustains the accuracy of the NH2 ab initio ground state PES. We also take the opportunity to compare the accurate QM differential cross sections with those obtained by two approximate methods, namely, the widely used quasiclassical trajectory calculations and a rigorous statistical method based on the coupled-channel theory.

Dynamics of the C(D1)+D2 reaction: A comparison of crossed molecular-beam experiments with quasiclassical trajectory and accurate statistical calculations

In this paper we report a combined experimental and theoretical study on the dynamics of the insertion reaction C((1)D)+D(2) at 15.5 kJ mol(-1) collision energy. Product angular and velocity distributions have been obtained in crossed beam experiments and quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) and rigorous statistical calculations have been performed on the recent and accurate ab initio potential energy surface of Bussery-Honvault, Honvault, and Launay at the energy of the experiment. The molecular-beam results have been simulated using the theoretical calculations. Good agreement between experiment and both QCT and statistical predictions is found.

Crossed-beam studies of neutral reactions: state-specific differential cross sections

Crossed-molecular-beam and laser techniques have enabled experimentalists to measure the state-resolved differential cross sections of elementary chemical reactions. This article reviews recent progress in this area. Particular emphasis is placed on some intriguing physical phenomena associated with a few benchmark reactions and how these measurements help in answering fundamental questions about reaction dynamics. We examine specifically the geometric phase effects in the reaction H + D2, the dynamical resonance phenomenon in F + HD, the unusually large spin-orbit reactivity in Cl((2)P) + H2, the insertion reaction O((1)D) + H2, and the mode-specific reactivity in Cl + CH4(nu). The give-and-take between experiment and theory in unraveling the physical picture of the dynamics is illustrated throughout this review.

State-to-state dynamics for O(1D)+D2-->OD+D: evidence for a collinear abstraction mechanism

The O(1D)+D2-->OD+D reaction at two different collisional energies, 2.0 and 3.2 kcal/mol, is investigated by using the H(D) Rydberg "tagging" time-of-flight technique. Experimental results in this study indicate that the OD product is clearly more backward scattered relative to the O(1D) beam direction at the collisional energy of 3.2 kcal/mol. The extra backward scattered OD products are mostly in the highly vibrationally excited states (upsilon = 4,5,6), which is typical of a collinear abstraction mechanism. The experimental results in this work also provide a good testing bed for quantitative theoretical investigations of this benchmark system.