The mutual neutralization of hydronium and hydroxide

Mutual neutralization of hydronium (H₃O⁺) and hydroxide (OH⁻) ions is a very fundamental chemical reaction. Yet, there is only limited experimental evidence about the underlying reaction mechanisms. Here, we report three-dimensional imaging of coincident neutral products of mutual-neutralization reactions at low collision energies of cold and isolated ions in the cryogenic double electrostatic ion-beam storage ring (DESIREE). We identified predominant H₂O + OH + H and 2OH + H₂ product channels and attributed them to an electron-transfer mechanism, whereas a minor contribution of H₂O + H₂O with high internal excitation was attributed to proton transfer. The reported mechanism-resolved internal product excitation, as well as collision-energy and initial ion-temperature dependence, provide a benchmark for modeling charge-transfer mechanisms.