skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Studies of the augmentation of reaction rates via laser irradiation in the infrared. Final report, 1 Sep 1973--31 Aug 1976. [H/sub 3/BPF/sub 3/ adduct]

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7223218

The objective of this research project, to discover a reaction, involving a sizable substrate (more than three atoms) the rate of which is selectively augmented by infrared laser radiation, has been achieved. A preliminary analysis led to criteria for the selection of an optimum reaction type, and for setting the most suitable experimental parameters. The self-scavenging decomposition was studied for a borane adduct: 2 H/sub 3/BPF/sub 3/ yields B/sub 2/H/sub 6/ + 2PF/sub 3/. The relative photolytic efficiencies of the various lines emitted by a CO2 laser were measured as was also the dependence of the rate on laser power, gas pressure and reaction cell temperature. Specificity of vibrational excitation was demonstrated in several ways, most directly by the observed isotope fractionation of H/D and /sup 10/B//sup 11/B ratios. The mechanism of the photoactivation process developed is in quantitative agreement with the observed conversion. A dynamic model (based on a normal mode analysis) was proposed for the selective activation. In a parallel study of borane adducts, we evaluated the thermodynamic and kinetic rate parameters for six exchange and abstraction reactions. Rational structures were proposed for the corresponding transition states. (Author)

Research Organization:
Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA). Dept. of Chemistry
OSTI ID:
7223218
Report Number(s):
AD-A-033503
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English