Velocity map imaging is a powerful tool to study dynamical processes in molecules. Based on this technique we have developed a crossed-beam ion imaging spectrometer to study ion-molecule reactions at low relative energy. With this spectrometer we have studied fundamental nucleophilic substitution reactions and observed several new and interesting dynamical features.
I will present the results and discuss them in comparison with high-level chemical dynamics calculations.
Department of Physics, Albert-Ludwigs Universität Freiburg