Laser measurements of the quenching and reaction of CN radicals with BrCN and CICN

Abstract

The laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique was used to measure the rate at which CN radicals ( v = 0,1,2) are removed in collisions with BrCN and CICN. The rate constants are (9 ± 1) × 10 −14 cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 for BrCN and (2.1 ± 0.3) × 10 −13 cm 3 molecule −1 for CICN. They are independent of the CN vibrational energy content. It is therefore concluded that chemical reaction dominates the removal and that the upper limit for vibrational quenching of both species is (1 – 2) × 10 −14 cm 3 molecule −1 s −1.