Dynamics of the reaction O(1D2)+H2→OH(X 2Π,v″=2,3)+H: Full characterization of product energetics

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Abstract
The product OH(X 2Π) resulting from the subject reaction has been detected in v″=2 and v″=3 with full resolution of N″, f″, λ″ sublevels using LIF spectroscopy in the off-diagonal Δv=−2 sequence bands in the region 385–409 nm. As was noted previously for OH in the v″=0 and 1 states, strongly inverted rotational distributions were found; in the present case, efficient OH production was observed up to the available exoergicity of the reaction. Production of the π+ component was again seen to be significantly more probable than that of the π−. The ratio of summed populations in the two observed vibrational levels P(v″=3)/P(v″=2)=0.39±0.02 is smaller than that observed by other methods; experimental uncertainties in all methods used to date are discussed. The current observations are consistent with a mechanism in which O(1D2) inserts into the H–H bond to form a highly excited H–O–H complex which then dissociates. No evidence was obtained for a parallel process in which an H atom is directly abstracted by the excited oxygen atom.