Energy Transfer in the De-excitation of (H3+) by H2

Abstract

Proton transfer from H₃⁺ to H₂ has been investigated in a tandem mass‐spectrometer system. Evidence for efficient de‐excitation of H₃⁺ in approximately one collision has been obtained by study of threshold for collision‐induced dissociation of D₃⁺ and reactions in the H₃⁺–C₂H₂, H₃⁺–C₂H₄, and H₃⁺–CH₄ systems. The results suggest a transfer mechanism which leaves behind as product an excited neutral hydrogen molecule containing most of the internal energy of the original triatomic molecular ion.