Temperature dependence of the rate of the electronic-to-electronic energy transfer from NF(b 1Σ+) to IF

The temperature dependence of the rate of transfer of electronic energy from NF(b 1Σ+) to ground state IF(X 1Σ+) to form IF[B 3Π(O+)] has been determined using a chemiluminescence flowtube apparatus. The energy transfer rate depends on the vibrational distribution of the IF(X 1Σ+), but is independent of the vibrational distribution of the NF(b 1Σ+). The vibrational temperature of the IF[B 3Π(O+)] product was also greater than or equal to the vibrational temperature of the IF(X 1Σ+) reagent. These results are explained in terms of an energy transfer model requiring that the individual state-to-state rates are proportional to the corresponding Franck–Condon factors.