ADDITION-REACTIONS OF TRANSLATIONALLY HOT FLUORINE-ATOMS AS A PROBE OF LONG-RANGE MIGRATION IN CRYSTALLINE ARGON - F+CO

Reactions of F atoms were studied in freestanding crystals (FSC) of ar gon doped with F-2 and CO. Laser photolysis of the F-2 at 355 nm produ ces stabilized FCO radicals by addition of translationally excited F a toms to isolated CO molecules. The yield of FCO in FSC is more than te n times higher than observed previously in F-2:CO:Ar matrices prepared by vapor deposition. The difference is attributed to a mean migration length for translationally hot F atoms of at least 8 nm in FSC compar ed with similar to 0.7 nm in vapor-deposited argon matrices, which hav e a high density of lattice defects. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Sc ience B.V. All rights reserved.