Unimolecular Dissociations and Free Radical Recombination Reactions

Abstract

The steric and pressure effects associated with the recombination of free radicals both depend on the nature of the activated complex, and are therefore intimately related. From a consideration of the reverse process of unimolecular dissociation, some equations are derived for these properties using an extension of earlier transition state and quasi-unimolecular theories. The present formalism differs from previous formulations of the latter in a number of ways, particularly in the expression used for the density of quantum states of the high energy molecules. Subsequent applications of the theory tentatively suggest that essentially all vibrational degrees of freedom of these molecules can contribute their energy to the vibrationally excited molecules. Consequently, vibrational anharmonicity would appear to be an important factor in intramolecular energy transfer. The present paper is an extension of a previously developed theory for the recombination of methyl radicals and iodine atoms.