Gas-Phase Scattering of Transition Metal Atoms Fe, Ir, and Pt with CH, O, and CO.

Understanding the interactions between transition metal atoms and molecules is important for the study of various related chemical and physical processes. In this study, we have investigated collisions between iron (Fe), iridium (Ir), and platinum (Pt) and the small molecules CH, O, and CO using a crossed-beam and time-sliced ion velocity map imaging technique. Elastic collisions were observed in all cases, except for collisions of Pt with O and CO. Collisions of Fe or Ir with CH, O, and CO show mainly long-range attractive potentials at large impact parameters leading to forward scattering, whereas sideways and backward scatterings indicate the formation of short-lived complexes with lifetimes comparable to their rotational periods. In collisions of Pt with O and CO, Pt may react with the gases and become chemically bound to them, which can deplete the nonreactive scattering signal. The insights gained from this study provide a foundation for improved understanding of the complex interactions between transitional metal atoms and other molecules.