New, unexpected, and dominant mechanisms in the hydrogen exchange reaction

A quasiclassical trajectory study of the state specific H+D-2(nu=0, j=0)-> HD(upsilon'=0, j'=0)+D reaction at a collision energy of 1.85 eV (total energy of 2.04 eV) found that the scattering is governed by two unexpected and dominant new mechanisms, and not by direct recoil as is generally assumed. The new mechanisms involve strong interaction with the sloping potential around the conical intersection, an area of the potential energy surface not previously considered to have much effect upon reactive scattering. Initial investigations indicate that more than 50% of reactive scattering could be the result of these new mechanisms at this collision energy. Features in the corresponding quantum mechanical results can be attributed to these new (classical) reaction mechanisms. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.