17–22 Jul 2022
Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto
America/Toronto timezone

Cold Ion-Molecule Reactions Relevant to Astrochemistry

18 Jul 2022, 17:00
1h 30m
Hart House (Hart House)

Hart House

Hart House

7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S 3H3
Poster presentation Atomic, molecular, and charged-particle collisions Poster session

Description

Laboratory measurements of cold ion-molecule collisions help to develop understanding of the dynamics and kinetics of interstellar chemistry. In our linear Paul ion trap, we trap ions at cold temperatures and react them with neutral molecules in an isolated environment. The products and branching ratios of these reactions are measured with high resolution with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Recently, we studied two reactions of interstellar importance (C$_{2}$H$_{2}^{+}$ + CH$_{3}$CN, acetonitrile and CCl$^{+}$ + C$_{6}$H$_{6}$, benzene) in this apparatus. Isotopologue substitution and quantum chemical calculations aid in identifying and analyzing the resulting products and branching ratios of these reactions. Both systems are potential pathways for the buildup of cyclic carbocations in the interstellar medium. The CCl$^{+}$ + benzene reaction, in particular, demonstrates potential as a participant in the growth of larger aromatics that occurs in the interstellar medium.

Presenter name Olivia Krohn

Primary authors

Olivia Krohn (JILA/CU Boulder) Dr Katherine Catani (JILA/Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics) Srivathsan Sundar (Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Melbourne) Dr James Greenberg (JILA/Department of Physics at CU Boulder) Prof. Gabriel da Silva (Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Melbourne) Prof. Heather Lewandowski (JILA/Department of Physics at CU Boulder)

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