Abstract: | Ion–molecule reactions of the metal-containing ions LM+ (L = (acac)2, acac, C6H6, C5H5; M = In, Ga, Co, Fe, Ni, Cr, Mn, Pd, Rh, Tl, La, Pr, Yb, Nd) with crown ethers in the gas phase were studied. Two major reactions were observed: adduct formation and substitution of a metal atom ligand by a crown ether. The relative abundances of the two reactions depends on the ease with which the metal atom may be reduced. Ligand substitution can involve hydrogen rearrangements with loss of acetylacetone or cyclopentadiene for crown ethers having mobile H atom(s). The use of ion–molecule reactions in the structural characterization of crown ethers and transition metalcontaining ions is discussed. |