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Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.112, No.33, 7489-7491, 2008
The photochemistry of formaldehyde: Internal conversion and molecular dissociation in a single step?
A novel, nonadiabatic reaction path for H-2 + CO molecular dissociation of formaldehyde via an extended S-1/S-0 conical intersection seam has been mapped out using the CAS-SCF method with a full valence active space (10 electrons, 9 orbitals). Two conical intersection geometries have been optimized, CsCoIn, a saddle point in the intersection space, and C1CoIn, which is the lowest-energy crossing point. A minimum-energy path connecting these points along a seam has also been characterized. In addition to the conventional and "roaming-atom" mechanisms-where internal conversion takes place before ground-state dissociation-we suggest that a strictly nonadiabatic mechanism can operate, where internal conversion and dissociation take place in concert.