Impulsive model for angular momentum polarization in chemical reactions

Illustrative theoretical calculations are presented for the spatial distribution of the product rotational angular momentum vector j' for an atom + diatom transfer reaction, A + BC ..-->.. AB + C. Two versions of a strongly impulsive model are shown to predict j' to be preferentially aligned perpendicular to the plane containing the initial and final relative velocity vectors, k and k'. One version is the DIPR-DIP model previously applied to other reaction properties. The other model is derived from a simple geometrical construction which is shown to give a quantitatively accurate approximation to most features of the full DIPR-DIP model calculation. The construction demonstrates the utility of a coordinate system transformation that identifies a particular system in which the angular momentum alignment is maximized.