Measurements of C3H+3, C5H+3, C6H+6, C7H+5, and C10H+8 dissociative recombination rate coefficients

The rate coefficients α for the dissociative recombination (DR) of the aromatic cyclic ions C6H6+ and C10H8+ have been measured in a flowing afterglow experiment at room temperature using Xe+ and Kr+ as precursor ions. C+ was also used as a precursor ion and this allowed the DR rate coefficients for C3H3+, C5H3+, and C7H5+ to be determined. The values obtained (in units of 10−6 cm3 s−1) at 300 K are, respectively, α(C3H3+)=0.7, α(C5H3+)=0.9, α(C6H6+)=1.0, α(C7H5+)=0.7, α(C10H8+)=0.3 with an uncertainty estimated to be ∼30%. A discussion is given concerning the relationship between the DR rate and the structural complexity of the ions.