Unimolecular decomposition of NO3: The NO+O2threshold regime

Imaging the nonreactive collisional quenching dynamics of NO (A2Σ+) radicals with O2 (X3Σg -)

Nitric oxide (NO) radicals are ubiquitous chemical intermediates present in the atmosphere and in combustion processes, where laser-induced fluorescence is extensively used on the NO (A²Σ⁺ ← X²Π) band to report on fuel-burning properties. However, accurate fluorescence quantum yields and NO concentration measurements are impeded by electronic quenching of NO (A²Σ⁺) to NO (X²Π) with colliding atomic and molecular species. To improve predictive combustion models and develop a molecular-level understanding of NO (A²Σ⁺) quenching, we report the velocity map ion images and product state distributions of NO (X²Π, v″ = 0, J″, F_n, Λ) following nonreactive collisional quenching of NO (A²Σ⁺) with molecular oxygen, O₂ (X³Σ_g ^-). A novel dual-flow pulse valve nozzle is constructed and implemented to carry out the NO (A²Σ⁺) electronic quenching studies and to limit NO₂ formation. The isotropic ion images reveal that the NO-O₂ system evolves through a long-lived NO₃ collision complex prior to formation of products. Furthermore, the corresponding total kinetic energy release distributions support that O₂ collision coproducts are formed primarily in the c¹Σ_u ^- electronic state with NO (X²Π, v″ = 0, J″, F_n, Λ). The product state distributions also indicate that NO (X²Π) is generated with a propensity to occupy the Π(A″) Λ-doublet state, which is consistent with the NO π^* orbital aligned perpendicular to nuclear rotation. The deviations between experimental results and statistical phase space theory simulations illustrate the key role that the conical intersection plays in the quenching dynamics to funnel population to product rovibronic levels.

Quasiclassical trajectory studies of 18O(3P) + NO2 isotope exchange and reaction to O2 + NO on D0 and D1 potentials

We report quasiclassical trajectory calculations for the bimolecular reaction (18)O((3)P) + NO2 on the recent potential energy surfaces of the ground (D0) and first excited (D1) states of NO3 [B. Fu, J. M. Bowman, H. Xiao, S. Maeda, and K. Morokuma, J. Chem. Theory. Comput. 9, 893 (2013)]. The branching ratio of isotope exchange versus O2 + NO formation, as well as the product angular distributions and energy and rovibrational state distributions are presented. The calculations are done at the collision energy of relevance to recent crossed beam experiments [K. A. Mar, A. L. Van Wyngarden, C.-W. Liang, Y. T. Lee, J. J. Lin, and K. A. Boering, J. Chem. Phys. 137, 044302 (2012)]. Very good agreement is achieved between the current calculations and these experiments for the branching ratio and final translational energy and angular distributions of isotope exchange products (16)O((3)P) + NO2 and O2 + NO formation products. The reactant (18)O atom results in (18)O(16)O but not N(18)O for the O2 + NO formation product channel, consistent with the experiment. In addition, the detailed vibrational and rotational state information of diatomic molecules calculated currently for the (34)O2 + NO formation channel on D0 and D1 states are in qualitative agreement with the previous experimental and theoretical results of the photodissociation of NO3 and are consistent with older thermal bimolecular kinetics measurements.

On the vibronic level structure in the NO3 radical. I. The ground electronic state

The model Hamiltonian approach of Koppel et al. [Adv. Chem. Phys. 57, 59 (1984)] is used to analyze the electronic spectroscopy of the nitrate radical (NO3). Simulations of negative ion photodetachment of NO3-, the X 2A2'<--B 2E' dispersed fluorescence spectrum of NO3, and the B 2E'<--X 2A2' absorption spectrum are all in qualitative agreement with experiment, indicating that the model Hamiltonian contains most or all of the essential physics that govern the strongly coupled X 2A2' and B 2E' electronic states of the radical. All 14 bands seen in the dispersed fluorescence spectrum below 2600 cm-1 are assigned based on the simulations, filling in a few gaps left by previous work, and 7 additional bands below 4000 cm-1 are tentatively assigned. The assignment is predicated on the assumption that the nu3 level of NO3 is near 1000 cm-1 rather than 1492 cm-1 as is presently believed. Support for this reassignment (which associates the 1492 cm-1 band with the nu1+nu4 level) comes from both the model Hamiltonian spectrum and a Fourier-transform infrared feature at 2585 cm-1 that is consistent with the large and positive cross anharmonicity between nu1 and nu4 needed for the alternative 1492 cm-1 assignment. An apparent systematic deficiency exists in the treatment of the model Hamiltonian for levels involving nu4. A discussion of the correlation between energy levels in the rigid D3h and C2v limits is illustrative, and provides insight into just how hard it is to treat the degenerate bending coordinate (q4) of NO3 accurately.

Prototype for in situ detection of atmospheric NO3 and N2O5 via laser-induced fluorescence

We describe a prototype designed for in situ detection of the nitrate radical (NO3) by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and of N2O5 by thermal dissociation followed by LIF detection of NO3. An inexpensive 36 mW continuous wave multi-mode diode laser at 662 nm is used to excite NO3 in the B2E'(0000) <-- X2A'2(0000) band. Fluorescence is collected from 700 to 750 nm. The prototype has a sensitivity to NO3 of 76 ppt for a 60 s integration with an accuracy of 8%. Although this sensitivity is adequate for studies of N205 in many environments, it is much less sensitive (about 300 times) than expected based on a comparison of previously measured photophysical properties of NO2 and NO3. This implies much stronger nonradiative coupling of electronic states in NO3 than in NO2.