THE TRANSITION-STATE OF THE F+H-2 REACTION

The transition state region of the F + H-2 reaction has been studied b y photoelectron spectroscopy of FH2-. New para and normal FH2- photoel ectron spectra have been measured in refined experiments and are compa red here with exact three-dimensional quantum reactive scattering simu lations that use an accurate new ab initio potential energy surface fo r F + H-2. The detailed agreement that is obtained between this fully ab initio theory and experiment is unprecedented for the F + H-2 react ion and suggests that the transition state region of the F + H-2 poten tial energy surface has finally been understood quantitatively.