Abstract

The availability of sub-100 femtosecond optical pulses has spawned much research directed at understanding chemical reaction dynamics in condensed phases. While for a small molecule in the gas phase the potential energy surface determines uniquely the dynamics of a chemical reaction, this is not true in condensed phases. Energy activation and dissipation through solvent-solute collisions as well as solvent induced barrier crossings and recrossings destroy the one-to-one correspondence between potential energy surface and reaction dynamics.

© 1990 Optical Society of America