Here, we present results on a prototype ion molecule reaction in physical organic chemistry: F- + CH3CH2Cl which features the competition of bimolecular nucleophilic substitution SN2 and base-induced elimination. We recorded energy and angle differential cross sections by crossed beam velocity map imaging and compare those to quasi classical trajectory simulations. We find excellent agreement of experiment and theory for this multi-atom reaction and can thereby access the energy dependence of substitution vs elimination. Elimination by far dominates at low collision energies but substitution becomes more prominent with increasing collision energy. The reaction is surprisingly direct despite the large number of atoms involved. In a second part, the advances toward the imaging of transition metal ion mediated bond activation are described. Our aim is to get a deeper understanding of the factors steering the reactivity of transitions metal mediated catalytic cycles by understanding the dynamics of the elementary reaction steps. We will give a progress report and show first results for the reactions of the tantalum cation with methane and carbon dioxide as well as an outlook.

Imaging of competing reaction pathways and C-H bond activation

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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