HEAVY-ATOM BLOCKING OF INTRAMOLECULAR ENERGY-FLOW

At present, there are two series of experimental data on decomposition of molecules chemically activated with a heavy atom. The data from the laboratory of F.S. Rowland indicate that a heavy atom in a molecule represents a serious barrier to intramolecular energy flow, whereas the data from the laboratory of B.S. Rabinovitch suggest that the intramolecular energy redistribution is completed on a picosecond time scale regardless of the presence of a heavy atom in a molecule. Theoretical calculations can explain both results. The discrepancy of the results from these two laboratories is not yet explained.