Observation of Nitrogen-Bearing Organic Molecules from Reactions of Nitrogen Atoms with Hydrocarbons: A Crossed Beam Study of N(2D) + Ethylene

Abstract

The reaction of excited atomic nitrogen, N(²D), with the simplest alkene, C₂H₄, has been investigated under single-collision conditions in crossed beam experiments with mass spectrometric detection. The experimental results clearly show that the N/H exchange channel leading to compounds of gross formula C₂H₃N is the main reaction pathway and that the reaction proceeds through the formation of a bound intermediate. The title reaction may well be regarded as a good candidate to account for the formation of acetonitrile, CH₃CN, in extraterrestrial environments such as the dense atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan where the ultimate fate of product isomers other than acetonitrile itself, that is 2H-azirine, H₂C(N)CH, and ketene imine, CH₂CNH, is expected to be tautomerization to the most stable structure of acetonitrile.