Products vibrational energy distributions in the O(³P) + CHF reaction

The vibrational energy distributions of the HF and CO formed in flash-initiated SO₂CHFX₂ (X = Cl, Br) mixtures have been measured by laser emission and laser resonance absorption, respectively. Both excited products are believed to result mainly from the O(³P) + CHF reaction, which probably takes place via vibronically excited HFCO intermediates. The observed HF and CO vibrational energy distributions could be satisfactorily accounted for by simple statistical models based on the following simplified mechanism: O(³P) + CHF(X̃ ¹A′) → [³HFCO*†] → [¹HFCO†] → HF† + CO† + ≈190 kcal/mole. → H + F + CO† + ≈54 kcal/mole with about 40% of the reaction occurring via the molecular elimination path and about 60% via the atomic formation path.