Energy exchange and reactions of highly excited polyatomic molecules

The advances in the study of energy exchange in the reactions of highly excited polyatomic molecules are analysed. The possibilities of spectroscopic methods for the observation of nonequilibrium energy distributions are demonstrated. Various models of intramolecular and intermolecular energy eschange as well as the reactions of highly excited states of polyatomic molecules are considered: spontaneous unimolecular decomposition and bimolecular reactions. There are good prospects for the application of emission techniques in the visible UV and IR spectral regions, both in the traditional version and especially with Fourier transformation, the probing for the distributions of highly excited states in reacting systems with thermal and laser pumping. Several predictive comments are made in conclusion. The bibliography includes 130 references.