Kinetics of the N+NCO reaction at 298 K

Abstract

The rate constant for the reaction of NCO (X ² Π) radicals with N( ⁴ S) atoms at room temperature has been determined to be (5.5±0.8)×10 ^-11 cm ³ molecule ^-1 s ^-1 by direct measurement by laser-induced fluorescence. This result is 70% higher than a value estimated from shock tube data at 1700 K, and suggests that the reaction takes place over a largely attractive potential surface. When the result is combined with high temperature data, it suggests that the major products of the reaction areN ₂ +CO, but as these cannot be formed in their ground electronic states in a spin-allowed process, arguments are proposed for the formation of triplet state products. No IR emission could be assigned as originating from CO, and possible reasons for this are discussed.