Rate constant and reaction channels for the reaction of atomic nitrogen with the ethyl radical

Journal Article · Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1995 · Journal of Chemical Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.469257· OSTI ID:6766561

Stief, L J; Nesbitt, F L; Payne, W A ^[1]; Kuo, S C; Tao, W; Klemm, R B ^[2]

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1. Laboratory of Extraterrestrial Laboratory, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 (United States)
2. Department of Applied Science, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973 (United States)

The absolute rate constant and primary reaction products have been determined at [ital T]=298 K for the atom--radical reaction N([sup 4][ital S])+C[sub 2]H[sub 5] in a discharge flow system with collision-free sampling to a mass spectrometer. The rate constant measurements employed low energy electron impact ionization while the product study used dispersed synchrotron radiation as the photoionization source. The rate constant was determined under pseudo-first-order conditions by monitoring the decay of C[sub 2]H[sub 5] or C[sub 2]D[sub 5] as a function of time in the presence of excess N atoms. The result is [ital k]=(1.1[plus minus]0.3)[times]10[sup [minus]10] cm[sup 3] molecule[sup [minus]1] s[sup [minus]1]. For the reaction product experiments using photoionization mass spectrometry, products observed at 114 nm (10.9 eV) were CD[sub 3], D[sub 2]CN and C[sub 2]D[sub 4] for the N+C[sub 2]D[sub 5] reaction. The product identification is based on the unambiguous combination of product [ital m]/[ital z] values, the shift of the [ital m]/[ital z] peaks observed for the N+C[sub 2]D[sub 5] reaction products with respect to the N+C[sub 2]H[sub 5] reaction products and the photoionization threshold measured for the major products. The observed products are consistent with the occurrence of the reaction channels D[sub 2]CN+CD[sub 3](2a) and C[sub 2]D[sub 4]+ND(2c). Formation of C[sub 2]D[sub 4] product via channel (2c) accounts for approximately 65% of the C[sub 2]D[sub 5] reacted. Most, if not all, of the remaining 35% is probably accounted for by channel (2a). These rate constant and product results are compared with those for the N+CH[sub 3] reaction as well as other atom+C[sub 2]H[sub 5] reactions. The role of the N+C[sub 2]H[sub 5] reaction in the formation of HCN in the atmospheres of Titan and Neptune is briefly considered. (Abstract Truncated)

• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6766561
• Journal Information: Journal of Chemical Physics; (United States), Vol. 102:13; ISSN 0021-9606
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ETHYL RADICALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
NITROGEN
ATOM-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
FORMATION FREE ENTHALPY
HYDROCYANIC ACID
IONIZATION
MASS SPECTROMETERS
NEPTUNE PLANET
PHOTOIONIZATION
SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
TEMPERATURE ZERO K
THRESHOLD ENERGY
YIELDS
ALKYL RADICALS
ATOM COLLISIONS
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
COLLISIONS
CYANIDES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
FREE ENTHALPY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MOLECULE COLLISIONS
NONMETALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLANETS
RADIATIONS
RADICALS
SPECTROMETERS
TEMPERATURE RANGE
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
400201* - Chemical & Physicochemical Properties