Electron attachment to van der Waals polymers of water

Abstract

Negative ions resulting from electron attachment to van der Waals polymers of water are reported. The most prominent ions observed consititute a homologous series with the stoichiometric formula OH−(H2O)m. They and the positive ions H+(H2O)m are ascribed to ion–molecule half-reactions. The ionization of van der Waals complexes as a method for preparing ’’collision complexes’’ is discussed.