PCCP Blog

The hydrogen exchange reaction H + H₂ -> H₂ + H is the simplest neutral bimolecular reaction and for nearly a century has been a benchmark for studying reaction dynamics.

Scientists have now measured differential cross sections (DCSs) for the reaction H + D₂ -> HD + D, which has enabled them to fill many of the gaps in our basic understanding of chemical reactivity.

Differential cross sections for H + D₂ → HD(v′ = 2, j′ = 0,3,6,9) + D at center-of-mass collision energies of 1.25, 1.61, and 1.97 eV
Nate C.-M. Bartlett, Justin Jankunas, Tapas Goswami, Richard N. Zare, Foudhil Bouakline and Stuart C. Althorpe
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C0CP02460K