Infrared chemiluminescence from water-forming reactions: Characterization of dynamics and mechanisms

The formation of water molecules via hydrogen atom abstraction by hydroxyl radicals and their formation via unimolecular elimination from vibrationally excited alcohols and organic acids are important processes in a variety of gas-phase chemical environments. The nascent vibrational distributions of the water molecules produced by such reactions have been obtained by analysis of the infrared chemiluminescence from H 2 O, HOD and D 2 O. The analysis required computer simulation of the spectra obtained by recording emission from a fast-flow reactor at 298 K with a low-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer. By combining the information deduced from simulation of the H 2 O and HOD emission spectra from the reactions of OH and OD, the total vibrational energy released to the water molecule and the distribution between the stretch and bending modes have been assigned. The present report provides a summary of results from hydroxyl radicals reacting with inorganic hydride molecules, with the primary, secondar...