Remarks on dissociative anion potential energy curves for organic electron transfers

Data on electron-molecule collisions in the gas phase have been used to obtain information on the potential energy curve for the dissociation of a transient anion RX' - , where R is frequently an organic group and X often a halide. The data include thermal dissociative attachment energies and vertical attachment energies of RX. The data also consist of collision cross-sections (elastic. inelastic and dissociative) which vary with the energy of the incident electron and with the vibrational state or temperature of the molecule. Relevant expressions are discussed. An approximate temperature-dependent expression is given for the thermal dissociative attachment cross-section. The potential energy curve of the transient anion appears in the theory of electron transfer reactions of RX that are accompanied by the bond rupture of R-X