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Translational and electronic energy dependence of chromium ion reactions with methane

Journal Article · · J. Phys. Chem.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/j100336a009· OSTI ID:6189036

The reaction of Cr/sup +/ with methane is studied as a function of translational and electronic energy in a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer. The electronic energy of the Cr/sup +/ ion is varied by altering the ionization technique. The ground-state Cr/sup +/(/sup 6/S) is found to react endothermically with CH/sub 4/ to produce CrH/sup +/, CrCH/sub 2//sup +/, and CrCH/sub 3//sup +/. Only the former product has been observed previously for the reaction of ground-state Cr/sup +/. Excited states (/sup 4/D and possibly /sup 4/G) of Cr/sup +/ react with much higher efficiency to form the same products, while Cr/sup +/(/sup 6/D), the first excited state, exhibits no evidence of reaction. The results are interpreted by using simple molecular orbital concepts that have been developed previously for reactions of transition-metal ions. This model is shown to explain the observation by Ridge and co-workers that the quartet excited states of Cr/sup +/ are efficiently quenched by methane in a spin-forbidden process.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Berkeley (USA)
OSTI ID:
6189036
Journal Information:
J. Phys. Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Phys. Chem.; (United States) Vol. 92:25; ISSN JPCHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English