LIFETIME OF THE CH3OH-ASTERISK INTERMEDIATE IN THE REACTION CH4+O(D-1(2))-]-CH3OH-ASTERISK-]CH3+OH

Subpicosecond lasers measured the appearance rate of OH X(v = 0) following 267 nm photolysis of the CH4·O3 van der Waals complex. The rise of the OH A→OH X laser-induced fluorescence with respect to the photolysis/probe delay time, tD, was LIF(tD) = 1 -exp(-tD/τ) with τ approximately 3 ps, indicating that the reaction CH4+O(1D2)→CH3+OH involves a CH3OH* intermediate with that lifetime. No prompt OH(v = 0) from a direct or fast reaction was observed. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.