Experiments and Calculations on Photoionization and Dissociative Photoionization of CH2CO

The dissociative photoionization of molecular‐beam cooled CH₂CO in a region of ?10–20 eV was investigated with photoionization mass spectrometry using a synchrotron radiation as the light source. Photoionization efficiency curves of CH₂CO⁺ and of observed fragment ions CH₂⁺, CHCO⁺, HCO⁺, C₂O⁺, CO⁺, and C₂H₂⁺ were measured to determine their appearance energies. Relative branching ratios as a function of photon energy were determined. Energies for formation of these observed fragment ions and their neutral counterparts upon ionization of CH₂CO are computed with the Gaussian‐3 method. Dissociative photoionization channels associated with six observed fragment ions are proposed based on comparison of determined appearance energies and predicted energies. The principal dissociative processes are direct breaking of C=C and C‐H bonds to form CH₂⁺ + CO and CHCO⁺ + H, respectively; at greater energies, dissociation involving H migration takes place.     

Theoretical Investigation on Photoionization and Dissociative Photoionization of Toluene

The photoionization and dissociation photoionization of toluene have been studied using quantum chemistry methods.The geometries and frequencies of the reactants,transition states and products have been performed at B3LYP/6-311++G (d,p) level,and single-point energy calculations for all the stationary points were carried out at DFT calculations of the optimized structures with the G3B3 level.The ionization energies of toluene and the appearance energies for major fragment ions,C₇H₇⁺,C₆H₅⁺,C₅H₆⁺,C₅H₅⁺,are determined to be 8.90,11.15 or 11.03,12.72,13.69,16.28 eV,respectively,which are all in good agreement with published experimental data.With the help of available published experimental data and theoretical results,four dissociative photoionization channels have been proposed:C₇H₇⁺+H,C₆H₅⁺+CH₃,C₅H₆⁺+C₂H₂,C₅H₅⁺+C₂H₂+H.Transition structures and intermediates for those isomerization processes are determined in this work.Especially,the structures of C₅H₆⁺ and C₅H₅⁺ produced by dissociative photoionization of toluene have been defined as chain structure in this work with theoretical calculations.     

Photoionization and Dissociation Study of 2-Methyl-2-propen-1-ol: Experimental and Theoretical Insights

The photoionization and dissociation of 2-methyl-2-propen-1-ol (MPO) have been investigated by using molecular beam experimental apparatus with tunable vacuum ultravioletsynchrotron radiation in the photon energy region of 8.0-15.5 eV. The photoionization efficiency (PIE) curves for molecule ion and fragment ions: C₄H₈O⁺、C₄H₇O⁺、C₃H₅O⁺、C₄H₇⁺、C₄H₆⁺、C₄H₅⁺、C₂H₄O⁺、C₂H₃O⁺、C₃H₆⁺、C₃H₅⁺、C₃H₃⁺、CH₃O⁺、CHO⁺ have been measured, and the ionization energy (IE) and the appearance energies (AEs) of the fragment ions have been obtained. The stable species and the first order saddle points have been calculated on the CCSD(T)/cc-pvTZ//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level. With combination of theoretical and experimental results, the dissociative photoionization pathways of 2-methyl-2-propen-1-ol are proposed. Hydrogen migrations within the molecule are the dominant processes in most of the fragmentation pathways of MPO.     

Dissociative photoionization of isoprene: experiments and calculations

Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) dissociative photoionization of isoprene in the energy region 8.5–18 eV was investigated with photoionization mass spectroscopy (PIMS) using synchrotron radiation (SR). The ionization energy (IE) of isoprene as well as the appearance energies (AEs) of its fragment ions C₅H₇⁺, C₅H₅⁺, C₄H₅⁺, C₃H₆⁺, C₃H₅⁺, C₃H₄⁺, C₃H₃⁺ and C₂H₃⁺ were determined with photoionization efficiency (PIE) curves. The dissociation energies of some possible dissociation channels to produce those fragment ions were also determined experimentally. The total energies of C₅H₈ and its main fragments were calculated using the Gaussian 03 program and the Gaussian‐2 method. The IE of C₅H₈, the AEs for its fragment ions, and the dissociation energies to produce them were predicted using the high‐accuracy energy model. According to our results, the experimental dissociation energies were in reasonable agreement with the calculated values of the proposed photodissociation channels of C₅H₈. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photofragmentation of 2‐Deoxy‐D‐Ribose Molecules in the Gas Phase

We have measured the synchrotron‐induced photofragmentation of isolated 2‐deoxy‐D ‐ribose molecules (C₅H₁₀O₄) at four photon energies, namely, 23.0, 15.7, 14.6, and 13.8 eV. At all photon energies above the molecule′s ionization threshold we observe the formation of a large variety of molecular cation fragments, including CH₃⁺, OH⁺, H₃O⁺, C₂H₃⁺, C₂H₄⁺, CH_xO⁺ (x=1,2,3), C₂H_xO⁺ (x=1–5), C₃H_xO⁺ (x=3–5), C₂H₄O₂⁺, C₃H_xO₂⁺ (x=1,2,4–6), C₄H₅O₂⁺, C₄H_xO₃⁺ (x=6,7), C₅H₇O₃⁺, and C₅H₈O₃⁺. The formation of these fragments shows a strong propensity of the DNA sugar to dissociate upon absorption of vacuum ultraviolet photons. The yields of particular fragments at various excitation photon energies in the range between 10 and 28 eV are also measured and their appearance thresholds determined. At all photon energies, the most intense relative yield is recorded for the m/q=57 fragment (C₃H₅O⁺), whereas a general intensity decrease is observed for all other fragments— relative to the m/q=57 fragment—with decreasing excitation energy. Thus, bond cleavage depends on the photon energy deposited in the molecule. All fragments up to m/q=75 are observed at all photon energies above their respective threshold values. Most notably, several fragmentation products, for example, CH₃⁺, H₃O⁺, C₂H₄⁺, CH₃O⁺, and C₂H₅O⁺, involve significant bond rearrangements and nuclear motion during the dissociation time. Multibond fragmentation of the sugar moiety in the sugar–phosphate backbone of DNA results in complex strand lesions and, most likely, in subsequent reactions of the neutral or charged fragments with the surrounding DNA molecules.     

Vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometric study of cyclohexene

In this work, photoionization and dissociation of cyclohexene have been studied by means of coupling a reflectron time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer with the tunable vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) synchrotron radiation. The adiabatic ionization energy of cyclohexene as well as the appearance energies of its fragment ions C₆H₉⁺, C₆H₇⁺, C₅H₇⁺, C₅H₅⁺, C₄H₆⁺, C₄H₅⁺, C₃H₅⁺ and C₃H₃⁺ were derived from the onset of the photoionization efficiency (PIE) curves. The optimized structures for the transition states and intermediates on the ground state potential energy surfaces related to photodissociation of cyclohexene were characterized at the ωB97X‐D/6‐31+g(d,p) level. The coupled cluster method, CCSD(T)/cc‐pVTZ, was employed to calculate the corresponding energies with the zero‐point energy corrections by the ωB97X‐D/6‐31+g(d,p) approach. Combining experimental and theoretical results, possible formation pathways of the fragment ions were proposed and discussed in detail. The retro‐Cope rearrangement was found to play a crucial role in the formation of C₄H₆⁺, C₄H₅⁺ and C₃H₅⁺. Intramolecular hydrogen migrations were observed as dominant processes in most of the fragmentation pathways of cyclohexene. The present research provides a clear picture of the photoionization and dissociation processes of cyclohexene in the 8‐ to 15.5‐eV photon energy region. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photodissociation of protonated β-diketones in the gas phase

The gas phase photodissociation spectra of four protonated β-diketones were obtained and compared with the absorption spectra of the corresponding ions in solution. Protonated 2,4-pentanedione was observed to undergo the photodissociation process [C₅H₉O₂]⁺ +hν → [CH₃CO]⁺ +C₃H₆O with a λmax at 276±10 nm compared with a solution absorption maximum at 286 nm. Protonated 2,4-hexanedione was observed to undergo the photodissociation processes [C₆H₁₁O₂]⁺ +hν → [CH₃CO]⁺ +C₄H₈O and [C₆H₁₁O₂]⁺ +hν → [C₂H₅CO]⁺ +C₃H₆O with a λmax at 279±10 nm compared with a solution absorption maximum at 288 nm. Protonated 3-methyl-2,4-pentanedione was observed to undergo the photodissociation process [C₆H₁₁O₂]⁺ +hν → [CH₃CO]⁺ +C₄H₈O with a λmax at 295±10 nm compared with a solution absorption maximum at 305 nm. Protonated 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedione was observed to undergo the photodissociation process [C₅H₆F₃O₂]⁺ +hν → CF₃H+[C₄H₅O₂]⁺ with a λmax at 273±10 nm compared with a solution absorption maximum at 288 nm. The [CH₃CO]⁺ and [C₂H₅CO]⁺ produced photochemically with the first three ions react to regenerate the protonated β-diketone leading to a photostationary state. Photodissociation of the protonated alkyl β-diketones is believed to occur from the protonated keto form, whereas photodissociation of protonated 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedione is believed to occur from the protonated enol form. Mechanisms for the observed photodissociation processes are proposed and comparisons with results from related techniques are presented.     

Theoretical Study of Isoprene Dissociative Photoionization

Theoretical calculations have been carried out to investigate the possible dissociation channels of isoprene. We focus on the major fragment ions of C₅H₇⁺,C₅H₅⁺,C₄H₅⁺,C₃H₆⁺,C₃H₅⁺,C₃H₄⁺,C₃H₃⁺ and C₂H₃⁺, which were observed experimentally from the isoprene dissociative photoionization. The energy calculations were performed with the CBS-QB3 model. All the geometries and energies of the fragments, intermediates and transition states involved in the dissociations channels were determined. Finally, the mechanisms of the dissociation pathways were discussed on the comparison of theoretical and experimental results.     

The distonic ions HO+CHCH2C˙H2 and CH3C(O+H)CH2C˙H2

The distonic ions HO⁺?CHCH₂C^˙H₂ (1) and CH₃C(?O⁺H)CH₂C^˙H₂ (2) were directly generated, their decompositions characterized and their appearance energies determined by photoionization. Heats of formation derived from the appearance energies were 757 kJ mol^?1 for 1 and 692 kJ mol^?1 for 2. Deuterium labeling demonstrates that both ions decompose at low energies in the same ways as their isomers with the same skeletal structures, consistent with proposals that 1 and 2 are intermediates in the decompositions of those systems. Surprisingly, the values of the translational energy releases accompanying the formation of CH₃CO⁺ and C₂H₅CO⁺ from 2 appear to be inversely proportional to the available excess energy. The 1,2-H-shift RC(?O⁺H)CH₂C˙H₂ → RC(?O₊H)C˙HCH₃ is compared to the corresponding, non-occurring 1,2-H-shift in alkyl free radicals.     

Dissociative Photoionization of m-Xylene

The photoionization and dissociative photoionization of m-xylene (C₈H₁₀) were researched by using synchrotron radiation vacuum ultraviolet (SR-VUV) and supersonic expanding molecular beam reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer (RFTOF-MS) system. The photoionization efficiency spectra (PIEs) of parent ion C₈H₁₀⁺ and main fragment ions C₈H₉⁺ and C₇H₇⁺ were observed, and the ionization energy (IE) of m-xylene and appearance energies (AEs) of main fragment ions C₈H₉⁺ and C₇H₇⁺ were determined to be 8.60 ± 0.03 eV, 11.76 ± 0.04 eV and 11.85 ± 0.05 eV, respectively. Structures of reactant, transition states (TSs), intermediates (INTs), and products involved in two dominant dissociation channels were optimized at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level, and the relative energies were calculated at the G3 level. Based on the results, two major dissociative photoionization channels, C₇H₇⁺+CH₃ and C₈H₉⁺+H were calculated at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level. On the basis of theoretical and experimental results, the dissociative photoionization mechanisms of m-xylene were proposed. The C–H or C–C bond dissociation and hydrogen migration are the main processes in the dissociation channels of m-xylene cation.

     

Photofragmentation of Isoleucine by Vacuum Ultraviolet Photoionization

Vacuum ultraviolet photon-induced ionization and dissociation of isoleucine are investi-gated with synchrotron radiation photoionization mass spectroscopy and theoretical cal-culations. The main fragment ions at m/z=86, 75, 74, 69, 57, 46, 45, 44, 41, 30, 28, and 18 from isoleucine are observed in the mass spectrum at the photon energy of 13 eV. From the photoionization e±ciency curves, appearance energies for the principal fragment ions C₅H₁₂N⁺ (m/z=86)、C₂H₅NO₄⁺ (m/z=75)、C₅H₉⁺ (m/z=69)、C₄H₉⁺(m/z=57), and CH₄N⁺(m/z=30) are determined to be 8.84±0.07, 9.25±0.06, 10.20±0.12, 9.25±0.10, and 11.05±0.07 eV, respectively, and possible formation pathways are established in detail by the calculations at the B3LYP/6-31++G(d, p) levels. These proposed channels include simple bond cleavage reactions as well as reactions involving intermediates and transition structures. The experimental and computational appearance energies or barriers are in good agreement.     

Heat capacities and densities of mixtures of very polar substances. 3. Mixtures containing either trichloromethane or 1,4-dioxane or diisopropylether

Excess molar heat capacities C _P ^E at constant pressure and excess molar volumes V ^E have been determined, as a function of mole fraction x₁ at 25°C and atmospheric pressure, for 10 binary liquid mixtures containing either trichloromethane (series I) with C₆H₅CH₃, or C₆H₅Cl, or C₅H₅N, or CH₃COCH₃, or C₆H₅NO₂; 1,4-dioxane (series II) with (C₂H₅)₃N, or (CH₃)₂CHOCH(CH₃)₂, or (CH_{3 2}SO); or diisopropyl ether (di-1-methylethyl ether) (series III) with (C₂H₅)₃N, or CHCl₃. The dipole momentsp (10^–30C-m) of the substances range from nearly 0 to 14.1 for nitrobenzene. The C _P ^E of series I and III are all positive, with C _P ^E (x₁=0.5) (J-K^–1-mol^–1) ranging from 1.04 for {x₁CHCl₃+x₂C₆H₅Cl} to 16.66 for {x₁(CH₃)₂CHOCH(CH₃)₂+x₂CHCl₃}. In series II, the C _P ^E are positive and small for {x₁1,4-C₄H₈O₂+x₂(CH₃)₂CHOCH(CH₃)₂}, S-shaped and small for {x₁1,4-C₄H₈O₂+x₂(C₂H₅)₃N}, and negative and small for {x₁1,4-C₄H₈O₂+x₂(CH₃)₂SO}. The excess volumes are small and positive for {x₁CHCl₃+x₂C₆H₅CH₃}, S-shaped for {x₁CHCl₃+x₂CH₃COCH₃}, {x₁1,4-C₄H₈O₂+x₂(C₂H₅)₃N} and {x₁(CH₃)₂CHOCH(CH₃)₂+x₂(C₂H₅)₃N}, and negative for the other systems.Presented at the Symposium, 76^th CSC Congress, Sherbrooke, Quebec, May 30–June 3, 1993, honoring Professor Donald Patterson on the occasion of his 65^th birthday     

Experimental and theoretical study on the photoionization of styrene

This study employed a vacuum ultraviolet synchrotron radiation source and reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) to investigate the photoionization and dissociation of styrene. By analyzing the photoionization mass spectrum and efficiency curve alongside G3B3 theoretical calculations, we determined the ionization energy of the molecular ion, appearance energy of fragment ions, and relevant dissociation pathways. The major ion peaks observed in the photoionization mass spectra of styrene correspond to C₈H₈⁺, C₈H₇⁺ and C₆H₆⁺. The ionization energy of styrene is measured as 8.46 ± 0.03 eV, whereas the appearance energies of C₈H₇⁺ and C₆H₆⁺ are found to be 12.42 ± 0.03 and 12.22 ± 0.03 eV, respectively, in agreement with theoretical values. The main channel for the photodissociation of styrene molecular ions is the formation of benzene ions, whereas the dissociation channel that loses hydrogen atoms is the secondary channel. Based on the experimental results and empirical formulas, the required dissociation energies (E_d) of C₈H₇⁺, C₈H₆⁺ and C₆H₆⁺ are calculated to be (3.96 ± 0.06), (4.00 ± 0.06) and (3.76 ± 0.06) eV, respectively. Combined with related thermochemical parameters, the standard enthalpies of formations of C₈H₈⁺, C₈H₇⁺, C₈H₆⁺ and C₆H₆⁺ are determined to be 964.2, 1346.3, 1350.2 and 1327.0 kJ/mol, respectively. Based on the theoretical study, the kinetic factors controlling the styrene dissociation reaction process are determined by using the Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus (RRKM) theory. This provides a reference for further research on the atmospheric photooxidation reaction mechanism of styrene in atmospheric and interstellar environments.     

VUV Photoionization and Dissociation of Tyramine and Dopamine: the Joint Experimental and Theoretical Studies

Photon induced dissociation investigations of neutral tyramine and dopamine are carried out with synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry and theoretical calculations. At low photon energy, only molecular ions are measured by virtue of near-threshold photoionization. While increasing photon energy to 11.7 eV or more, four distinct fragment ions are obtained for tyramine and dopamine, respectively. Besides, the ioniza-tion energies of tyramine and dopamine are determined to be 7.98±0.05 and 7.67±0.05 eV by measuring the photoionization efficiency curves of corresponding molecular ions. With help of density function theory calculations, the detailed fragmentation pathways are es-tablished as well. These two molecular cations have similar aminoethyl group elimination pathways, C₇H₈O₂^+·(m/z=124) and C₇H₈O^+·(m/z=108) are supposed to be generated by the McLafferty rearrangement via γ-hydrogen (γ-H) shift inducing β-fission. And CH₂NH₂⁺ is proposed to derive from the direct fission of C7-C8 bond. Besides, the McLafferty rear-rangement and the C7-C8 bond fission are validated to be dominant dissociation pathways for tyramine and dopamine cations.     

Dissociation Pathway Analysis of Thymine under Low Energy VUV Photon Excitation

Photon-induced dissociation pathways of thymine are investigated with vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry and theoretical calculations. The photoionization mass spectra of thymine at different photon energy are measured and presented. By selecting suitable photon energy, exclusively molecular ion m/z=126 is obtained. At photon energy of 12.0 eV, the major ionic fragments at m/z=98, 97, 84, 83, 70, and 55 are obtained, which are assigned to C₄H₆N₂₄O⁺、C₄H₅N₂O⁺、C₃H₄N₂O⁺(or C₄H₆NO⁺)、C₄H₅NO⁺、C₂NO₂⁺ and C₃H₅N⁺, respectively. With help of theoretical calculations, the detailed dissociation pathways of thymine at low energy are well established.     

Gas-phase reactions between O−. and C6H5F: On the acidity of fluorobenzene and 1,4-difluorobenzene

The gas-phase reactions of negative ions (O^-., NH ₂ ^? , C₂H₅NH^?, (CH₃)₂N^?, C₆H ₅ ^t- , and CH₃SCH ₂ ^? ) with fluorobenzene and 1,4-difluorobenzene have been studied with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The O^?. ion reacts predominantly by (1) proton abstraction, (2) formal H ₂ ^+. abstraction, and (3) attack on an unsubstituted carbon atom. In addition to these processes, attack on a fluorine bearing carbon atom yielding F^? and C₆H₄FO^? ions occurs with 1,4-difluorobenzene. Site-specific deuterium labeling reveals the occurrence of competing 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-H ₂ ^+. abstractions in the reaction of O^?. with fluorobenzene. Attack of the O^?. ion on the 3- and 4-positions in fluorobenzene with formation of the 3- and 4-fluorophenoxide ions, respectively, is preferred to reaction at the 2-position, as indicated by the relative extent of loss of a hydrogen and a deuterium atom in the reactions with labeled fluorobenzenes. The NH ₂ ^? , C₂H₅NH^?, (CH₃)₂N^?, C₆H ₅ ^? , and CH₃SCH ₂ ^? anions react with fluoroberuene and 1,4-difluorobenzene only by proton abstraction. The relative importance of H⁺ and D⁺ abstraction in the reaction of these anions with labeled fluorobenzenes indicates that the 2-position in fluorobenzene is more acidic than the 3- and 4-positions, suggesting that the literature value of the gas-phase acidity of this compound (ΔH _acid ^o = 1620 ± 8 kJ mol^?1) refers to the former site. Based on the occurrence of reversible proton transfer between the CH₃O^? ion and 1,4-difluorobenzene, the ΔH _acid ^o of this compound is redetermined to be 1592 ± 8 kJ mol^?1.     

Reactions of ionized dibutyl ether

The reactions of ionized di-n-butyl ether are reported and compared with those of ionized n-butyl sec-butyl and di-sec-butyl ether. The main fragmentation of metastable (CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂)₂O^+. is C₂H₅? loss (?85%), but minor amounts (2–4%) of CH₃?, C₄H₇?, C₄H₉?, C₄H₁₀ and C₄H₁₀O are also eliminated. In contrast, C₂H₅? elimination is of much lower abundance (20 and 4%, respectively) from metastable CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OCH(CH₃)CH₂CH₃^+. and [CH₃CH₂(CH₃)CH]₂O^+., which expel mainly C₂H₆ and CH₃? (35–55%). Studies on collisional activation spectra of the C₆H₁₃O⁺ oxonium ions reveal that C₂H₅? loss from (CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂)₂O^+. gives the same product, (CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂ ⁺O?CHCH₃) as that formed by direct cleavage of CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OCH(CH₃)CH₂CH₃^+.. Elimination of C₂H₅? from (CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂)₂O^+. is interpreted by means of a mechanism in which a 1,4-H shift to the oxygen atom initiates a unidirectional skeletal rearrangement to CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OCH(CH₃)CH₂CH₃^+., which then undergoes cleavage to CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂⁺O?CHCH₃ and C₂H₅?. Further support for this mechanism is obtained from considering the collisional activation and neutralization-reionization mass spectra of the (C₄H₉)₂O^+. species and the behaviour of labelled analogues of (CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂)₂O^+.. The rate of ethyl radical loss is suppressed relative to those of alternative dissociations by deuteriation at the γ-position of either or both butyl substituents. Moreover, C₂H₅? loss via skeletal rearrangement and fragmentation of the unlabelled butyl group in CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂CD₂CH₃^+. occurs approximately five times more rapidly than C₂H₄D? expulsion via isomerization and fission of the labelled butyl substituent. These findings indicate that the initial 1,4-hydrogen shift is influenced by a significant isotope effect, as would be expected if this step is rate limiting in ethyl radical loss.     

The decay of 1-chloropropyne cation studied by photoelectron-photoion coincidence spectroscopy

The decay of internal energy selected 1-chloropropyne cations is investigated using the fixed wavelength (He-Iα) photoelectron-photoion coincidence technique. The breakdown curves of the molecular ion and the C₃H₂Cl⁺, C₃HCl⁺, CCl⁺, C₃H⁺₃, C₃H⁺₃, C₃H⁺ fragment ions are reported. For 1-chloropropyne cations initially formed in their $\text{A}\text{?}$²E state it is found that four fragmentation channels compete with a non-dissociative relaxation pathway. The average kinetic energies released on formation of C₃H⁺₃ and C₃H⁺₃ are deduced from the time-of-flight distributions of these fragment ions measured at different internal energies of the molecular ion. The coincidence data are supplemented by electron impact appearance energies. The obtained decay pattern of 1-chloropropyne cation is compared with the breakdown diagrams reported for the C₃H⁺₄ isomers, i.e. allene-, propyne- and cyclopropene cations.     

ChemInform Abstract: Protonated Nitric Acid. Structure and Relative Stability of Isomeric H2NO+ 3 Ions in the Gas Phase.

Gaseous H₂NO₃⁺ ions are generated by direct protonation of HNO₃ by H3⁺, H₃O⁺ and CH₅⁺ and by protonation of C₂H₅ONO₂ followed by C₂H₄ loss.