Prediction of angular distributions for the F+H2 and F+D2 reactions

The bending corrected rotating linear model is used to predict angular distributions for the reactions F+H2(v=0)→H+HF(v′=2,3) and and F+D2(v=0)→D+DF(v′=3,4). The calculations were performed using the surface (No. 5A) that was reported recently by Steckler, Truhlar, and Garrett. The angular distributions obtained using this new surface differ in several important respects from distributions predicted in earlier quantal scattering studies using the Muckerman-5 surface. More importantly, these new predictions are in much better agreement with the high resolution molecular beam studies of these same reactions. The combination of these predictions with the results of the molecular beam studies provides additional evidence for the role of dynamical resonances in the two title reactions.