Structure, stability, and reactivity of cationic hydrogen trioxides and thermochemistry of their neutral analogs. A Fourier-Transform ion cyclotron resonance study

The proton and electron transfer efficiencies of HO3+ and H2O3+ ions with various inorganic and organic substrates were used to examine the thermochemistry of the ions and of the HO3 radical. Results of kinetic experiments show that ground-state HO3 (2A) radical is thermochemically stable toward dissociation to HO-(2II) and O2(3sigma(sub g)-). They also show that it is can be involved in major atmospheric reactions. These results are in contrast with many theoretical measurements.