Vibrational Energy Transfer at a Liquid Gallium Surface. Activation of Unimolecular Cyclobutene Isomerization

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j100407a017

Single-collision vibrational energy transfer for a canonical ensemble (T = 300 K) of cyclobutene molecules at a heated liquid gallium surface has been studied from 450 to 700 K.Transport above the reaction threshold for isomerization to butadiene (E₀ = 32.4 kcal mol^-1) was used as the criterion for efficiency of vibrational energy accomodation.The efficiency was found to fall below strong collider behavior above 625 K.Evidence of surface catalysis became important below 525 K.The observed behavor is reminiscent of that found previously for other liquid (Sn) and solid (Au) metal surfaces.