Kinetic-energy dependence of competitive spin-allowed and spin-forbidden reactions: V++CS2

Abstract

The kinetic-energy dependence of the V++CS2 reaction is examined using guided ion-beam mass spectrometry. Several different ion sources are used to systematically vary the V+ electronic state distributions and elucidate the reactivities of both the ground and excited state V+ cation. The cross section for VS+ formation from ground state V+(5D) exhibits two endothermic features corresponding to the formation of ground state VS+(3Σ−) and excited state VS+(5Π). The thresholds for these two processes are in good agreement with theoretically determined excitation energies. The cross section for spin-forbidden formation of ground state VS+(3Σ−) exhibits an unusual variation with kinetic energy that is attributed to the energy dependence of the surface-crossing probability. From the thresholds associated with the formation of VS+ and V(CS)+, D0(V+–S)=3.72±0.09 eV and D0(V+–CS)=1.70±0.08 eV are derived. Further, circumstantial evidence for formation of a high-energy isomer of V(CS)+ is obtained.