Distribution of O2 molecules over vibrational levels at the output of a singlet-oxygen generator

Simple formulas are obtained for determining the population of the vibrational levels of singlet oxygen generated chemically in a singlet-oxygen generator. The rate of decrease in the vibrational energy of oxygen is limited by the exchange between its first vibrational level and the bending mode of the water molecule. It is shown that the populations of singlet oxygen molecules at the second and third vibrational levels are comparable with the population of oxygen in the excited electronic state b¹Σ_g⁺. The possibility of formation of electronically excited iodine in the reaction O₂(α¹Δ_g, ν=2) +I₂(X) → O₂(X ³Σ_g^-) +O₂(Λ ³Π_1u), which may be the intermediate state in the process of dissociation of iodine in singlet-oxygen medium, is substantiated.