Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.115, No.25, 7105-7111, 2011
Primary Branching Ratios for the Low-Temperature Reaction of State-Prepared N-2(+) with CH4, C2H2, and C2H4
Product branching ratios (BRs) are reported for ion-molecule reactions of state-prepared nitrogen cation (N-2(+)) with methane (CH4), acetylene (C2H2). and ethylene (C2H4) at low temperature using a modified ion imaging apparatus. These reactions are performed in a supersonic nozzle expansion characterized by a rotational temperature of 40 +/- 5K For the N-2(+) + CH4 reaction, a BR of 0.83:0.17 is obtained for the dissociative charge-transfer (CT) reaction that gives rise to the formation of CH3+ and CH2+ product ions, respectively. The N-2(+) + C2H2 ion molecule reaction proceeds through a nondissociative CT process that results in the sole formation of C2H2+ product ions. The reaction of N-2(+) with C2H4 leads to the formation of C2H3+ and C2H2+ product ions with a BR of 0.74:0.26, respectively. The reported BR for the N-2(+) + C2H4 reaction is supportive of a nonresonant dissociative CT mechanism similar to the one that accompanies the N-2(+) + CH4 reaction. No dependence of the branching ratios on N-2(+) rotational level was observed. In addition to providing direct insight into the dynamics of the state prepared N-2(+) ion-molecule reactions with the target neutral hydrocarbon molecules, the reported low-temperature BRs are also important for accurate modeling of the nitrogen-dominated upper atmosphere of Saturn's moon, Titan.