Impulsive Reaction Model of Ion–Molecule Reactions: Angular Distributions

The direct reaction model of ion–molecule reactions proposed by Wolfgang to explain the velocity dependence of products of exothermic reactions is refined and extended to yield the angular distribution of products as well. The model consists of consecutive “two‐body” trajectories for reactants and products with “reflection” of radial relative velocities at a reaction radius. It is found that a single value of the reaction radius yields velocity and angular distributions in substantial agreement with experiment for the Ar++D2 reaction over a substantial energy range. Some predictions of the model and some possible modifications are also discussed.