Reactive scattering of a supersonic fluorine atom beam: F + Br₂

Abstract

Reactive scattering of F atoms with Br₂ molecules has been studied at an initial translational energy E ∼ 33 kJ mol^-1 using a supersonic beam of F atoms seeded in He buffer gas. Laboratory angular and velocity distributions of FBr product have been measured which show scattering peaking sharply in the forward direction with isotropic wide angle scattering of relative intensity ∼0·15. The reaction dynamics follow the stripping limit of the short-lived complex mechanism displayed by the F + Cl₂ reaction. A bent structure is proposed for the transition state of the reaction which relates the observed scattering to the initial orientation of the reactant Br₂ molecule with respect to the incident F atom direction.