Nature Communications (Jan 2020)

Strong inverse kinetic isotope effect observed in ammonia charge exchange reactions

  • L. S. Petralia,
  • A. Tsikritea,
  • J. Loreau,
  • T. P. Softley,
  • B. R. Heazlewood

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13976-8
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

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Inverse kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) are rarely observed. Here, the authors report an inverse KIE in the charge transfer reaction of $${{\rm{Xe}}}^{+}$$ Xe+ with ammonia. $${{\rm{ND}}}_{3}$$ ND3 reacts more than 3 times faster than $${{\rm{NH}}}_{3}$$ NH3 , despite no N-H or N-D bonds being broken, with implications for our understanding of interstellar chemistry.