2025/02/25 by G. Stephen Kocheril, Kocheril, G. S., C. Zagorec-Marks +3 · 4 citations
Chemistry · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA) #Chemical Physics (physics.chem-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Molecular Spectroscopy and Structure
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2502.17849
openalex publication_date 2025/02/25 · openalex created_date 2025/10/15 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The aromatic molecule benzene is considered the essential building block for larger polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in space. Despite benzene's importance in the formation of PAHs, the formation mechanisms of interstellar benzene are not well understood. A single ion-molecule reaction sequence is considered when modeling the formation of benzene in the interstellar medium, beginning with the protonation of acetylene. Although this process has been used to model the initial steps for formation of PAHs, it has not been experimentally measured. To explore this reaction mechanism, we have carried out the first experimental study of sequential ion-molecule reactions beginning with protonation of acetylene at single-collision conditions. Surprisingly, we find that the reaction sequence does not result in benzene and instead terminates at C6H5+, which is unreactive toward both acetylene and hydrogen. This result disproves the previously proposed mechanism for interstellar benzene formation, critically altering our understanding of interstellar PAH formation.