Product state resolved stereodynamics.

A first study of the stereodynamics of the reaction, O(1D2) + HCl → OH(X; v, N) + Cl(2PJ) is described. Polarised, Doppler resolved laser induced fluorescence is used to probe the product state resolved differential cross section, translational energy disposal, excitation function and rotational polarisation of the OH products, specifically OH(X2Π12; v = 4, N = 6). The new results are discussed in the context of earlier studies of the pattern of energy disposal in the above reaction and crossed beam studies of the competing reaction channel O(1 D2) + HCl → ClO(X) + H. Although the reactive trajectories may access a deeply bound well on the potential surface, the dynamics cannot simply be described solely in terms of an insertion mechanism proceeding through the intermediacy of a long-lived, persistent collision complex.