High-temperature photochemistry and BAC-MP4 studies of the reaction between ground-state H atoms and N2O

Abstract

The H+N2O reaction has been investigated using the high-temperature photochemistry (HTP) technique. H(1 2S) atoms were generated by flash photolysis of NH3 and monitored by time-resolved atomic resonance fluorescence with pulse counting. The bimolecular rate coefficient for H-atom consumption, leading essentially to N2+OH, from 390 to 1310 K is found to be given by k1(T)=5.5×10−14 exp(−2380 K/T)+7.3×10−10 exp(−9690 K/T) cm3 molecule−1 s−1; the accuracy is assessed as approximately 25% at the 2σ confidence level. Above 750 K, k1 closely follows the Arrhenius behavior of the second term alone. Distinct curvature is evident below 750 K. k1 is compared to theoretical BAC-MP4 predictions and good agreement is found for a model involving rearrangement of an HNNO intermediate coupled with tunneling through an Eckart potential barrier, which dominates at the lower temperatures. The branching ratio for the channel leading to NH+NO is discussed in the context of recent thermochemical information and a maximum rate coefficient of <1×10−9 exp(−15800 K/T) cm3 molecule−1 s−1 is set for temperatures up to 2000 K.