Six-dimensional and seven-dimensional quantum dynamics study of the OH + CH4 → H2O + CH3 reaction

The reaction dynamics of hydroxyl radical with methane has been investigated using time-dependent wave packet approach within reduced six- and seven-dimensional models. Initial state-selected total reaction probabilities and integral cross sections for the hydrogen abstraction reaction have been computed on the empirical potential energy surface developed by Espinosa-García et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 112, 5731 (2000)]. Excitations of the CH stretching mode and/or the CH3 umbrella mode enhance the reaction. They are, however, both less efficient than translational energy in promoting the reaction, at least at low collision energies. Also, we studied the accuracy of two approximations: centrifugal sudden (CS) and J-shifting (JS), in the calculations of the integral cross sections by a comparison to coupled-channel (CC) calculations. The integral cross sections obtained indicated that the CS approximation works well over the whole energy range studied, and the JS approximation gives accurate cross sections at low collision energies, while noticeably overestimates them at relatively high collision energies. In addition, the OH radical acts as a good spectator as it has a negligible effect on the reaction.