A quantum-mechanical study of the dynamics of the O(1D)+H2→OH+H insertion reaction

We have studied the quantum dynamics of the O(D-1)+H-2(X (1)Sigma (+)(g))--> OH(X (2)Pi)+H(S-2) reaction at low collision energies. The hyperspherical method has been used in a time-independent formalism. We present rotational and vibrational distributions. OH vibrational distributions are found to be noninverted. Differential cross sections are almost symmetric in the forward and backward directions, with a slight preference for forward scattering. These features are consistent with the formation of an intermediate complex. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.