Isotope effects on product polarization and reaction mechanism in the Li + HF(v = 0, j = 0) → LiF + H reaction

► Isotope effect results in different reaction mechanism for the title reaction. ► The Li + HF(v = 0, j = 0) → LiF + H and Li + DF(v = 0, j = 0) → LiF + D reactions show the dominantly direct reaction mechanism. ► However, the Li + TF(v = 0, j = 0) → LiF + T reaction undergoes both the direct and indirect reaction mechanisms. ► The product polarization exposes a monotonically decreasing behavior with increasing the mass of the hydrogen isotopes.