Lifetime measurement of a collision complex using ion cyclotron double resonance. H2C6N+2

In the ion–molecule reaction between HC3N+ and HC3N, the lifetime of the collision complex (H2C6N+2)* was long enough that ion cyclotron double resonance techniques could be used to probe the distribution of the lifetimes of the collision complex. The mean lifetime of the collision complex at room temperature was measured as 180 μs with a distribution ranging from 60 to 260 μs as measured at the half-heights in the distribution. Lifetimes of this magnitude with respect to unimolecular dissociation allow for some stabilization of the collision complex by the slower process of infrared photon emission.