Nuclear spin selection rules in chemical reactions by angular momentum algebra

The detailed selection rules for reactive collisions reported by Quack using molecular symmetry group are derived by using angular momentum algebra. Instead of the representations of the permutation-inversion group for both nuclear spin and rovibronic coordinate wavefunctions, those of the rotation group for nuclear spin wavefunction only are used. The method allows more straightforward derivation of Quack's results and further extension of the calculation for separating elementary reactions and application to higher proton systems. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.