NASCENT INTERNAL STATE DISTRIBUTIONS OF ZNH(X (2)SIGMA(-1(1)) WITH SOME ALKANE HYDROCARBONS()) PRODUCED IN THE REACTIONS OF ZN(4 P)

The reactions of Zn(4 (1)p(1)) with CH4, C2H6, C3Hg, and C(CH3)(4) wer e studied by employing a laser pump-and-probe technique. The nascent r otational and vibrational state distributions of ZnH(X (2) Sigma(+)) w ere determined. These distributions were compared with those predicted by statistical models. The distributions for C(CH3)(4) resembled to t he statistical ones, while those for simple alkanes such as CH4 were a little hotter than the statistical ones. These results suggest that t he reaction proceeds via a relatively long-lived insertive complex. Th ere was no great difference in the production yields of ZnH, although that for CH4 was the largest.