High-excitation lines of deuterated formaldehyde (HDCO) in the Orion molecular cloud

Five HDCO lines (up to 35 cm-1) have been detected in the narrow OMC-1 kinematic component. The best estimate of the [HDCO]/[H2CO] abundance ratio in OMC-1 is 0.01-0.03, at least an order of magnitude greater than the observed [DCO+]/[HCO+] abundance ratio. The [DCO+]/[HCO+] ratio greatly exceeds the [HDCO]/[H2CO] radio in cold clouds where the enhancement of both HDCO and DCO+ abundances originates from H2D+. H2D+ is abundant only at temperatures lower than found in OMC-1. The combination of a low [DCO+]/[HCO+] and high [HDCO]/[H2CO] abundance ratio in OMC-1 requires a different HDCO formation route at high temperature. This alternate HDCO formation path can occur because the exothermicity of the ion exchange reaction of HD and CH3+ is greater than for the HD+H3+ reaction. The CH2D+ thus formed survives to higher temperatures than H2D+. Subsequent reactions with H2 lead to CH4D+ which by electronic recombination forms CH2D. The HDCO (H2CO) forms in the neutral-neutral reaction of CH2D (CH3) and O. These reactions are not competitive in forming a variety of deuterated molecules at low temperatures since electronic recombination rapidly removes CH2D+ and CH4D+ ions while the abundant H2D+ ion is slow to recombine, as reported by Smith and Adam in 1984