TY - JOUR
T1 - VUV photochemistry of CH4 and isotopomers. I. Dynamics and dissociation pathway of the H/D-atom elimination channel
AU - Wang, Jen Han
AU - Liu, Kopin
PY - 1998/12/1
Y1 - 1998/12/1
N2 - The Doppler-selected time-of-flight technique was used to study the formation of H and D in the photolysis of CH4 and its isotopomers. The combination of measurements for the photofragment kinetic energy release P(ET) and the anisotropy parameter β(ET) distributions allows us to differentiate, for the first time, three distinct pathways which are involved in C-H (C-D) bond fission. In conjunction with a recent ab initio theoretical investigation, the mechanisms for this complicated multichannel dissociation process are proposed. In particular, two distinct dissociation pathways are elucidated for the two-fragments channel CH3(X̃2A″)+H. One pathway invokes a perpendicular-type transition in absorption, which subsequently undergoes intersystem crossing to the triplet surface and then dissociates. The fragmentation via this route yields fast CH3+H with a negative β parameter. Alternatively, a parallel-type excitation is involved, followed by internal conversion to the ground-state surface on which dissociation occurs. This pathway results in less kinetic energy release and yields a positive β parameter. An intriguing isotope effect is revealed, which calls for further theoretical investigations.
AB - The Doppler-selected time-of-flight technique was used to study the formation of H and D in the photolysis of CH4 and its isotopomers. The combination of measurements for the photofragment kinetic energy release P(ET) and the anisotropy parameter β(ET) distributions allows us to differentiate, for the first time, three distinct pathways which are involved in C-H (C-D) bond fission. In conjunction with a recent ab initio theoretical investigation, the mechanisms for this complicated multichannel dissociation process are proposed. In particular, two distinct dissociation pathways are elucidated for the two-fragments channel CH3(X̃2A″)+H. One pathway invokes a perpendicular-type transition in absorption, which subsequently undergoes intersystem crossing to the triplet surface and then dissociates. The fragmentation via this route yields fast CH3+H with a negative β parameter. Alternatively, a parallel-type excitation is involved, followed by internal conversion to the ground-state surface on which dissociation occurs. This pathway results in less kinetic energy release and yields a positive β parameter. An intriguing isotope effect is revealed, which calls for further theoretical investigations.
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U2 - 10.1063/1.477394
DO - 10.1063/1.477394
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0000912938
VL - 109
SP - 7105
EP - 7112
JO - Journal of Chemical Physics
JF - Journal of Chemical Physics
SN - 0021-9606
IS - 17
ER -