Reaction probabilities and threshold energy in the abstraction reaction between hydrogen atoms and neopentane

Abstract

The reactions of photochemically generated deuterium atoms of selected translational energies with neopentane have been investigated. The variation with energy of the relative probability of reaction or energy loss on collision with neopentane was followed, and the phenomenological threshold energy measured as 45±5 kJ mol^–1. The threshold values for molecules containing only primary or secondary C—H bonds and molecules with both bond types are discussed. The probabilities of reaction per bond for different bond types are compared and a simple model for reaction probability assessed.