Kinetics and energy partitioning in complex‐forming reactions between neutral species

Abstract

AbstractA short survey is presented of some recent experiments on the kinetics and dynamics of complex‐forming reactions. Differences and similarities between bimolecular reactions in which a pair of products are formed and collisionally assisted association reactions are considered. Some emphasis is placed on those reactions whose rates are determined by ‘capture’ on the long‐ and medium‐range attractive potential acting between the reagents. Such processes are discussed in relation to specific reactions, such as those of CN with O2 and C2H2, OH with butenes, and CH with O2, C2H2, N2, CO and H2, for which rate constants have been determined over most of the temperature range from 10 to 1000 K. The CH + H2 system is considered in some detail as it serves as a prototype of complex‐forming reactions in which there is competition between collisionally assisted association (to CH3 radicals) and bimolecular reaction (to CH2 + H).