Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.108, No.18, 7595-7606, 1998
Chemiluminescent pathways in reactions of phosphorus, antimony, and bismuth with ozone to form dioxides and monoxides
Chemiluminescent (CL) reactions have been observed using molecular beams of phosphorus, antimony, and bismuth colliding with ozone as a scattering gas. The fluorescence spectra indicate the formation of electronically excited PO2, SbO2, and BiO2, and probably SbO and BiO, as well. None of the emitting states of the dioxides seem to correspond to previously characterized states. Since the beam source could generate variable ratios of atoms, dimers, and tetramers, the CL reactions can be attributed to P, Sb, Sb-2, and Pi. The assignments of reactant species were aided by measurements of the total CL dependence on the beam time dependence. The time-dependent experiments also revealed CL reactions of antimony and bismuth, which are second order in ozone. Fits to the time-dependent spectra show that whereas the first-order CL reaction of P proceeds without a potential barrier, for Sb-n and Pi, only the second-order CL reactions can occur without very high barriers.
Keywords:CHEMI-LUMINESCENT REACTIONS;LASER-INDUCED FLUORESCENCE;LOWEST 2A' STATES;JET-COOLED NO2;NITROGEN-DIOXIDE;AB-INITIO;ELECTRONIC-STRUCTURE;MATRIX REACTIONS;O-3 MOLECULES;GROUND-STATE