CROSSED MOLECULAR-BEAM STUDY OF THE )-2(X(3)SIGMA(-)(G))-]CRO(X(5)PI(OMEGA))+O(P-3(J)) REACTION(O)

The Cr(a(7)S(3)) + O-2(X (3) Sigma(g)(-)) --> CrO(X (5) Pi(Omega)) + O (P-3(J)) reaction has been studied with pulsed, crossed, supersonic mo lecular beams, at relative translational energies varying between 0.3 and 0.6 eV. The Cr(a(7)S(3)) reactant and the CrO(X (5) Pi(Omega)) pro duct have been probed by laser-induced fluorescence. The reaction exhi bits a translational energy threshold at epsilon(tr) approximate to 0. 40 eV. The analysis of the CrO internal energy partitioning just above the threshold leads to a reaction endoergicity: Delta epsilon(0) = 0. 38 +/- 0.09 eV, and to a CrO bond-dissociation energy: D-0(CrO) = 4.74 +/- 0.09 eV.