Conditions for Suppression of Gas Phase Chemical Reactions inside a Dark Infrared Cavity: O$_{2}$ + 2NO$\to$ 2NO$_{2}$ as an example

Abstract

The ability to slow down chemical reactions using a seemingly simple setup reactions confined within a cavity formed by two parallel mirrors is fascinating. However, theory and experiment have not yet fully converged. In this work, we provide the conditions and guidelines for selecting reactions that can be suppressed in a dark cavity. The primary requirement is that the reaction's potential energy surface must contain two saddle points (and not one saddle point as required for enhancement). This condition enables a reduction in the reaction rate. Specifically, we demonstrate that the reaction rate of O$_{2}$ + 2NO$\to$ 2NO$_{2}$ can be suppressed by a dark cavity composed of two parallel mirrors. We show that the suppression of the reaction rate depends on the distance between the mirrors, which determines the cavity parameters, and on the number of molecules in the transition state configuration that simultaneously interact with the cavity.