Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.105, No.9, 1465-1475, 2001
H+NO2 channels in the photodissociation of HONO at 193.3 nm
The H + NO2, channels in the 193.3-nm photodissociation of jet-cooled HONO have been examined by using high-n Rydberg-atom time-of-flight (HRTOF) technique. Center-of-mass (CM) translational energy distribution and energy-dependent angular distribution of the photoproducts reveal that the NO2 fragments are produced in at least three electronic states: ground (X) over tilde (2)A(1) and excited (A) over tilde B-2(2) and (B) over tilde B-2(1) (and/or (C) over tilde (2)A(2)) states. The overall average CM product translational energy is < ET > = 0.3E(avail). NO2 fragments are highly vibrationally excited in each of these electronic states, and in particular, a long vibrational progression of NO2 bending mode in the (A) over tilde B-2(2) state has been observed. Branching ratios of the NO2 electronic states are estimated: (X) over tilde (2)A(1):(A) over tilde B-2(2): (B) over tilde B-2(1)/(C) over tilde (2)A(2) approximate to 0.13:0.21:0.66. The O-H bond photodissociation of HONO from the second electronically excited singlet state B(1)A ' proceeds via multiple dissociation pathways. The H + NO0((A) over tilde B-2(2)) product channel is via a direct dissociation (presumably in a near-planar fragmentation geometry) and has a large translational energy release, a specific NO2 bending vibration population (indicating a significant change of the ONO angle during dissociation), and an anisotropic product angular distribution (suggesting a short excited (B) over tilde (1)A ' state lifetime with respect to dissociation). The H + NO0((X) over tilde (2)A(1),) channel could be produced from a tripler excited state (which likely has a repulsive barrier along the O-H dissociation coordinate) following intersystem crossing or from the ground state of HONO after internal conversion. The H + NO2((B) over tilde B-2(1)) channel requires nonadiabatic processes in a planar geometry, while in nonplanar geometries, it can be directly produced from the HONO((B) over tilde (1)A ') state, consistent with its large branching ratio.