Identification of HGeCl by chemiluminescence from the reaction of GeH4 with Cl2

Abstract

Chemiluminescence from the reaction of germane with chlorine has been observed in the region 4450–5200 Å. This emission has been identified as the [Formula: see text] transition in HGeCl. From the observed transitions, approximate equations for the vibrational levels of the lower and upper electronic states were obtained. Thermodynamic considerations indicate that HGeCl is probably produced by the reaction GeH2 + Cl2 → HGeCl* + HCl which is exothermic by approximately 70 kcal/mol. A continuum centered at approximately 4300 Å and extending into the HGeCl spectrum was identified as resulting from GeCl2*.