Reactions of OH−⋅H2O with NO2

Cross sections for reactions of OH−⋅H2O with NO2 are reported for interaction energies from 0.2 to 6 eV. Reactions producing the ions HNO3− and NO2−⋅H2O were observed, in addition to charge transfer and collisional dissociation. These reactions were not observable at an interaction energy of 0.04 eV. Based upon these results, upper and lower bounds for the electron affinity of HNO3 are 0.39⩽E.A. (HNO3)⩽0.73 eV and for the bond dissociation energy of NO2−–H2O are 0.1⩽D(NO2−–H2O) 0.6 eV. It is suggested that the strong energy dependence of the cross sections for the reactions forming HNO−3 and NO2−⋅H2O is the result of dissociation of these ions before detection.