Kinetics and mechanisms of the reactions of CH and CD with H2 and D2

Abstract
The reactions CH+H2k1products and CD+D2k2products were studied using a laser photolysis/laser‐induced fluorescence (LIF) technique. The room‐temperature rate constant for reaction (1) was found to be pressure dependent between 25 and 600 Torr. Reactions (1) and (2) were studied as a function of temperature in the range 159–658 K at a total pressure of 100 Torr. Two pathways dominate these reactions. Below 400 K, addition followed by collisional stabilization of the adduct predominates. The rate constants display negative temperature dependences and are described by k1=(2.37±0.43)×1012 exp[(1041±85)/RT] and k2=(3.51±0.58)×1012 exp[(1030±90)/RT] cm3 molecule1 s1 with Ea in units of cal mol1. Above 500 K, production of CH2+H or CD2+D with an activation energy of 4±2 kcal mol1 dominates. In the reactions of CH+D2 and CD+H2, anomalously fast removal of the parent radical is observed because of formation and dissociation of chemically activated addition complexes which lead to isotopically substituted parent radicals. LIF spectra of these product radicals were obtained. A transition‐state‐theory model was applied to a mechanism in which collision stabilization and product formation proceed through a single complex.