ISOTOPE EFFECTS IN THE REACTIONS OF ATOMIC IONS WITH H-2, D2, AND HD

Reactions of various atomic ions with H-2, D2, and HD have been studied as a function of kinetic energy by using guided ion beam mass spectrometry. For exothermic reactions, the dependence on translational and rotational energy and the effect of angular momentum conservation are illustrated. For endothermic reactions, the observed behavior falls into several distinct groups (statistical, direct and impulsive) that can be used to characterize the potential energy surfaces for the reactions. The characteristic behavior of each of these groups is illustrated and then used to understand more complex reaction systems.