Reaction between nitric oxide and ozone in solid nitrogen
Nitrogen dioxide, NO2, is produced when nitric oxide, NO, and ozone, O3, are suspended in a nitrogen matrix at 11-20 K. The NO2 is formed with first-order kinetics, a 12 K rate constant of (1.4 + or - 0.2) x 0.00001/sec, and an apparent activation energy of 106 + or - 10 cal/mol. Isotopic labeling, variation of concentrations, and cold shield experiments show that the growth of NO2 is due to reaction between ozone molecules and NO monomers, and that the reaction is neither infrared-induced nor does it seem to be a heavy atom tunneling process. Reaction is attributed to nearest-neighbor NO.O3 pairs probably held in a specific orientational relationship that affects the kinetic behavior. When the temperature is raised, more such reactive pairs are generated, presumably by local diffusion. Possible mechanisms are discussed.