The potential energies for linear symmetrical configurations of H3+ have been calculated by the same methods used in the previous paper (I). The energies at the minimum in kcal./mole and the corresponding distances between neighboring atoms in Bohr radii for the various approximations are: Heitler−London−91.92 at 2.00;H.L. plus polar−108.64 at 2.00;Wang Approx.−130.89 at 1.55;Wang plus polar−155.35 at 1.52.It follows from the use of the variational method that the energy of binding of a proton to H2 is greater than 46.8 kcal./mole. If we use the same Wang plus polar approximation for H2 and H3+ we obtain for this binding energy 63.11 kcal./mole. The reaction H2++H2→H3++H may be exothermal and cannot be more than slightly endothermal.
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Hirschfelder et al. (1936) studied this question.