Abstract

The large amplitude motion of a solute molecule can be viewed as one of the simplest liquid phase chemical reactions. The dynamics of such a process is dictated by the shape of the solute's potential energy surface and its coupling to the stochastic thermal forces of the solvent bath. Numerous systems which undergo large amplitude motion involving barrier crossing have been studied over the past several years. Few systems whose reaction coordinate is barrierless have so far been investigated. The goal of the present experiments is to test the validity of current theories for barrierless liquid phase chemical processes.

© 1986 Optical Society of America