Formation of vibrationally excited N2O in the reaction of N atoms with NO2

Abstract

The rapid displacement reaction, N + NO₂= N₂O + O + 42.4 kcal/mole, yields N₂O molecules in which the bond stretching modes ν₁ and ν₃ are excited. Although the N—N—O bond angle probably changes during separation of the products, no excitation of the bending mode ν₂ is detected, and it is deduced that less than 10 % of the N₂O formed has ν₂ excited. The most strongly populated stretching levels are 3ν₁+ν₃ and 2ν₁+ν₃. The absolute rates of population of these levels have not yet been determined, but the distribution of energy between ν₁ and ν₃ and the energy of the most populated level (17 kcal/mole) both show that a “repulsive” rather than an “attractive” potential surface is involved.