Is the simplest chemical reaction really so simple?

Jankunas, Justin; Sneha, Mahima; Zare, Richard N; Bouakline, Foudhil; Althorpe, Stuart C; Herráez-Aguilar, Diego; Aoiz, F Javier · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 2014

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Modern computational methods have become so powerful for predicting the outcome for the H + H2 → H2 + H bimolecular exchange reaction that it might seem further experiments are not needed. Nevertheless, experiments have led the way to cause theorists to look more deeply into this simplest of all chemical reactions. The findings are less simple.

Medical subject headings