Production of NH(X3Σ−) radicals in the reaction of N(22D) with CH4: nascent rotational and vibrational distributions of NH

Two-photon dissociation of NO was employed to produce N(2D) and to study its reaction with CH4. NH(X3Σ−) could be detected by laser-induced fluorescence. The nascent rotational and vibrational state distributions of NH were determined. The vibrational population ratio NH(ν″ = 1) /NH(ν″ = 0) was 0.6, while the rotational distributions were unimodal and hotter than the prior ones. These distributions are similar to those of OH(X2Π) produced in the reaction of O(1D2) with CH4, suggesting that N(2D) inserts into the CH bonds.