Crossed molecular beam studies of radical-radical reactions: O(3P) + hydrocarbon radicals (CH3 and C3H5)

PHYS 604

P. Casavecchia, piero@dyn.unipg.it1, F. Leonori1, E. Segoloni1, R. Petrucci1, N. Balucani1, A. Bergeat1, and D. Stranges, Domenico.Stranges@uniroma1.it2. (1) Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto, 8, Perugia, 06123, Italy, (2) Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Roma 1, La Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro 5, Roma, 00185, Italy
We report on the first direct measurements of product angular and velocity distributions in crossed beam experiments with mass spectrometric detection for two important radical-radical reactions: O(3P) + CH3 (methyl) and O(3P) + C3H5 (allyl). We generate continuous supersonic beams of O(3P) by a RF discharge beam source in a quartz nozzle, while continuous supersonic beams of hydrocarbon radicals are produced by flash-pyrolysis in a SiC nozzle. In our study, the primary products and their dynamics of formation are derived. Formaldehyde + H and acrolein + H are found to be the main products of the O(3P) reaction with CH3 and C3H5, respectively. Formation of HCO + H2 is also observed from O + CH3. By exploiting “soft” electron-ionization detection, C-C bond fission channels have also been observed in the O + C3H5 reaction.
 

PHYS Poster Session - Computational Spectroscopy and Reaction Dynamics
7:30 PM-10:00 PM, Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Hall A, Poster

Division of Physical Chemistry

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008