Ternary association reactions leading to formation of CH+3·(H2O)n in the energy range 0.04–0.1 eV

Abstract The ion-molecule reaction CH 3 + + H 2 O has been studied with a drift tube apparatus. The first step of the reaction was found to have a third-order rate constant with a negative temperature coefficient: k He (3) = 1.3 × 10 −26 ( T /300) −3.3 and K w (3) = 1 × 10 −24 ( T /300) −0.85 . Both water molecules and helium atoms act as stabilizing third bodies.