Multiple dynamical pathways in the O(D-1)+CH4 reaction: A comprehensive crossed beam study

In this report, the O(D-1)+CH4 reaction has been reinvestigated using unive rsal crossed molecular beam methods. Angular resolved time-of-flight spectr a have been measured for various reaction channels of the title reaction: O H+CH3, H+H2COH/H3CO, and H-2+HCOH/H2CO. Different product angular distribut ions have been observed for these product channels, indicating that these r eaction channels occur via distinctive dynamical pathways. This study provi des an excellent example of multiple dynamical pathways in a single chemica l reaction, which opens enormous opportunities in investigating the dynamic s of complicated chemical reactions that are important in combustion and at mospheric chemistry, and also provides a link between kinetics studies and dynamical research. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(00) 00137-9].