https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/s10053-021-00310-5
Regular Article – Atomic and Molecular Collisions
Molecular synthesis in ices triggered by dissociative electron attachment to carbon monoxide
Fachbereich 2 (Chemistry/Biology), Institute for Applied and Physical Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße 5, 28359, Bremen, Germany
Received:
1
September
2021
Accepted:
10
November
2021
Published online:
2
December
2021
Chemical reactions in mixed molecular ices as relevant in the context of astrochemistry can be initiated by electron-molecule interactions. Dissociative electron attachment (DEA) as initiating step is identified from the enhancement of product yields upon irradiation at particular electron energies. Herein, we show that DEA to CO leads to the formation of HCN in mixed CO/
ice at electron energies around 11 eV and 16 eV. We propose that this reaction proceeds via insertion of the neutral C fragment into a N–H bond. In the case of CO/
O and CO/
OH ices, a resonant enhancement of the yields of HCOOH and OCHO, respectively, is observed around 10 eV. In both ices, both molecular constituents exhibit DEA processes in this energy range so that the energy-dependent product yield alone does not uniquely identify the relevant DEA channel. However, we demonstrate by comparing with earlier results on mixed ices where CO is replaced by 
that DEA to CO is again responsible for the enhanced product formation. In this case, 
activates O or OH which leads to the formation of larger products. We thus show that DEA to CO plays an important role in electron-induced syntheses in molecular ices.
The original online version of this article was revised due to one wrong formula and incorrect in-text citations.
A correction to this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/s10053-021-00327-w.
Copyright comment corrected publication 2021
© The Author(s) 2021. corrected publication 2021
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