REACTIONS OF THERMAL ENERGY IONS: II. RATES OF SOME HYDROGEN TRANSFER ION–MOLECULE REACTIONS

Abstract

The rate constants for the ion–molecule reactions forming the protonated molecule in CH₃CN, H₂, CH₄, and CH₃OCH₃, the equivalent reactions in the deuteriated species, and the reactions forming COD⁺ in CO–CD₄ mixtures have been measured at thermal energies and at 10.5 V/cm repeller field strength. For H₂, HD, D₂ and the reactions in CO–CD₄ mixtures the rate constant for the thermal reaction is approximately 0.3–0.5 that of the 10.5 V/cm rate constant. For all other cases the ratio of rate constants is approximately unity as predicted by the ion-induced dipole model. The absolute values of the rate constants in most cases are considerably lower than predicted by theory.