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Title: Classical trajectory studies of the molecular dissociation dynamics of formaldehyde: H sub 2 CO r arrow H sub 2 +CO

Journal Article · · Journal of Chemical Physics; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.462826· OSTI ID:7206996
; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Chemistry, University of California, and Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

Classical trajectory calculations have been carried out to simulate the unimolecular decomposition of formaldehyde in the ground electronic state ({ital S}{sub 0}). Global potential-energy surfaces were constructed using the empirical valence-bond (EVB) approach. Two sets of {ital ab} {ital initio} input were used to characterize two different EVB potential-energy surfaces, and trajectory calculations using one of these gives excellent agreement with experimental data for the product-state distributions of H{sub 2} and CO. The trajectory study of vector correlations with prompt dissociation of the parent molecule provides understanding of the dissociation dynamics in the molecular frame. From comparison with some of the experimental results and information from a few {ital ab} {ital initio} calculations, some improvements for the current potential surfaces are suggested.

DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
7206996
Journal Information:
Journal of Chemical Physics; (United States), Vol. 96:6; ISSN 0021-9606
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English