LASER-EXCITED FLUORESCENCE STUDY OF REACTIONS OF EXCITED CA AND SR WITH WATER AND ALCOHOLS - PRODUCT SELECTIVITY AND ENERGY DISPOSAL

Reactions of the metastable P-3(J)0 states of Ca and Sr in atomic beam s with H2O, D2O, and CH3OH yielding ground electronic state products h ave been observed by laser excited fluorescence of MOH, MOD, and MOCH( 3). The water reactions favor metal hydroxide products while methanol reactions favor methoxides. For SrOH product, spectral simulation of t he (B) over tilde(2) Sigma(+)-(X) over tilde(2) Sigma(+) transition ba sed on coupled harmonic-oscillator Franck-Condon factors was used to d etermine crude vibrational energy distributions in the bending and met al-stretching modes, and simulation of a higher resolution scan of exc itation of the ground vibrational level gave some information about th e rotational energy distribution in that level. While excitation of me tal stretching and rotation were considerable and not too far from the predictions of a prior model, bending was significantly colder. Limit ed spectroscopic constants and severe spectral congestion have preclud ed other successful simulations. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physic s.