CROSSED BEAMS STUDY OF C-H BOND ACTIVATION - MO(S-5(2))-]MOCH2+H-2(CH4)

The reaction of metastable Mo((5)S(2)s(1)d(5)) With methane was studie d using the method of crossed molecular beams. Angular and velocity di stributions of the MoCH2, products were obtained at relative collision energies of 7.2 and 13.0 kcal/mol. The center-of-mass MoCH2 angular d istributions exhibited forward-backward symmetry, consistent with a me chanism involving C-H bond insertion forming HMoCH3 followed by H-2 el imination. The potential energy barrier for insertion of Mo((5)S(2)s(1 )d(5)) into CH4 is less than or equal to 7.2 kcal/mol. (C) 1998 Americ an Institute of Physics.