Electron attachment to van der Waals polymers of water

Negative ions resulting from electron attachment to van der Waals polymers of water are reported. The most prominent ions observed consititute a homologous series with the stoichiometric formula OH−(H2O)m. They and the positive ions H+(H2O)m are ascribed to ion–molecule half-reactions. The ionization of van der Waals complexes as a method for preparing ’’collision complexes’’ is discussed.