A beam scattering study of the dynamics of CH sup + sub 4 (CH sub 4 ,CH sub 3 )CH sup + sub 5 reaction in the eV collision energy range: Three competing mechanisms of CH sup + sub 5 formation

A crossed-beam study of the reaction CH{sup +}{sub 4}(CH{sub 4},CH{sub 3})CH{sup +}{sub 5} was carried out in the collision energy range 0.6--2.3 eV. Three distinct patterns were observed, which may be interpreted in terms of three competing mechanisms for CH{sup +}{sub 5} formation: proton stripping, H-atom pickup, and intermediate complex decomposition. The existence of a C{sub 2}H{sup +}{sub 8} intermediate, stable towards dissociation, is suggested by the results. The relative weights of the three mechanisms were estimated as a function of collision energy.