Intermediates in the formation of dicyclopentadienyltungsten dicarbonyl: role of a dicyclopentadienyltungsten carbonyl chloride action

Dicyclopentadienylcarbonyl chloride cations of tungsten and molybdenum, (C₅H₅)₂M(CO)Cl⁺ (M W, Mo) are obtained from a reaction of the corresponding dichlorides with AlCl₃ and CO. Reduction of (C₅H₅)₂W(CO)Cl⁺ in the presence of CO gives the dicarbonyl complex (C₅H₅)₂W(CO)₂. The corresponding molybdenum complex was not obtained under analogous reaction conditions.     

Elucidating the structures of isomeric silylenium ions (SiC3H 9 + , SiC4H 11 + , SiC5H 13 + ) by using specific ion/molecule reactions

Specific ion/molecule reactions are demonstrated that distinguish the structures of the following isomeric organosilylenium ions: Si(CH₃) ₃ ⁺ and SiH(CH₃)(C₂H₅)⁺; Si(CH₃)₂(C₂H₅)⁺ and SiH(C₂H₅) ₂ ⁺ ; and Si(CH₃)₂(i?C₃H₇)⁺, Si(CH₃)₂(n?C₃H₇)⁺, Si(CH₃)(C₂H₅) ₂ ⁺ , and Si(CH₃)₃(π?C₂H₄)⁺. Both methanol and isotopically labeled ethene yield structure-specific reactions with these ions. Methanol reacts with alkylsilylenium ions by competitive elimination of a corresponding alkane or dehydrogenation and yields a methoxysilylenium ion. Isotopically labeled ethene reacts specifically with alkylsilylenium ions containing a two-carbon or larger alkyl substituent by displacement of the corresponding olefin and yields an ethylsilylenium ion. Methanol reactions were found to be efficient for all systems, whereas isotopically labeled ethene reaction efficiencies were quite variable, with dialkylsilylenium ions reacting rapidly and trialkylsilylenium ions reacting much more slowly. Mechanisms for these reactions and differences in the kinetics are discussed.     

Gas-phase phenylium and acyclic [C6H5]+ isomers

The structures of [C₆H₅]⁺ species, formed from a variety of precursors, have been investigated by ion/molecule reactivity studies with pulsed ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and by collision spectroscopy with mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy spectrometry. Formed by sequential ion/molecule reactions in gaseous acetylene, the [C₆H₅]⁺ species are present as a mixture of isomers, those that react with acetylene and those that do not. Ion-assisted dehalogenation reactions were used to establish that the unreactive [C₆H₅]⁺ isomer was the phenylium ion. These data were used to study and confirm collisional decomposition reactions postulated to be diagnostic of the acyclic and phenylium isomers. These diagnostic reactions were then used to study the composition of the [C₆H₅]⁺ isomers produced by electron ionization of a number of precursors. These results are contrasted with previous studies and the collision spectroscopy experiments are described in detail. The possible role of [C₆H₅]⁺ species in flame processes is discussed.     

Quantification of methylamine in the headspace of ethanol of agricultural origin by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry

Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS, has been used to investigate if absolute levels of trace compounds in the headspace of ethanol/water vapour mixture can be quantified. This case study was directed towards the analysis of methylamine in distilled ethanol of agricultural origin because of its relevance to quality control legislation in the distillery industry. This has required a detailed study of the ion chemistry occurring – initiated by H₃O⁺ precursor ions – when ethanol/water vapour mixtures are introduced into the H₃O⁺/helium carrier gas swarm and has resulted in the construction of a full scheme of the complex ionic reactions that occur. It has been found that under the SIFT-MS flow reactor conditions (He pressure 130 Pa and temperature 299 K) the terminating ions of the several parallel and sequential reactions that occur are the proton bound ethanol clusters ions, C₂H₅OH₂⁺(C₂H₅OH)_n, with n = 1,2,3, proton bound trimer (n = 2) being the dominant species. These ethanol cluster ions can be used as precursor (reagent) ions for the chemical ionisation of the methylamine present in the ethanol/water vapour, which produces two characteristic product ions CH₃NH₂H⁺(C₂H₅OH)_1,2 that are used for the methylamine analysis. The ratio of the product ion count rate to the precursor ion count rate is used in an analogous way to the routinely used for SIFT-MS analyses to quantify the methylamine concentration. The results of calibration experiments show that using SIFT-MS it is possible to quantify methylamine in liquid ethanol/water mixtures at levels of 0.1 mg/L or greater.     

Preparation and properties of a soluble polymeric aquo ion of molybdenum(V)

An orange/brown ionic and polymeric Mo(V) ion (Mo to Na ratio 2.3:1), soluble in H₂O to give stable solutions at pH～6, with UV visible spectrum λ_max 318nm, ?(per Mo) 330OM^?1 cm^?1, has been prepared and partially characterised. Various properties are described, including the conversion to the well established Mo(V) aquo dimer, MO₂O₄²⁺, on adjustment of [H⁺] to 0.17–0.50 M, I=0.50 M (H/LiClO₄). First-order rate constants, k_obs(25°C), determined by conventional spectrophotometry give a good fit to the empirical rate law,     

SIFT studies of the reactions of H3O+, NO+ and O+2 with a series of volatile carboxylic acids and esters

We report the results of a selected ion flow tube (SIFT) study of the reactions of H₃O⁺, NO⁺ and O⁺₂ with some nine carboxylic acids and eight esters. We assume that all the exothermic proton transfer reactions of H₃O⁺ with all the acid and esters molecules occur at the collisional rate, i.e. the rate coefficients, k, are equal to k_c; then it is seen that k values for most of the NO⁺ and O⁺₂ reactions also are equal to or close to k_c. The major ionic products of the H₃O⁺ reactions with both the acids and esters are the protonated parent molecules, MH⁺, but minor channels are also evident, these being the result of H₂O elimination from the excited (MH⁺)1 in some of the acid reactions and an alcohol molecule elimination (CH₃OH or C₂H₅OH) in some of the ester reactions. The NO⁺ reactions with the acids and esters result in both ion-molecule association producing NO⁺M in parallel with hydroxide ion (OH⁻) transfer with some of the acids, and parallel methoxide ion (CH₃O⁻) and ethoxide ion (C₂H₅O⁻) transfer as appropriate with some of the esters. The O⁺₂ reactions proceed by dissociative charge transfer with the production of two or more ionic fragments of the parent molecules, the different isomeric forms of both the acid and the ester molecules resulting in different product ions.     

Mechanistic Studies on the Gas‐Phase Dehydrogenation of Alkanes at Cyclometalated Platinum Complexes

In the ion/molecule reactions of the cyclometalated platinum complexes [Pt(L? H)]⁺ (L=2,2′‐bipyridine (bipy), 2‐phenylpyridine (phpy), and 7,8‐benzoquinoline (bq)) with linear and branched alkanes C_nH_2n+2 (n=2–4), the main reaction channels correspond to the eliminations of dihydrogen and the respective alkenes in varying ratios. For all three couples [Pt(L? H)]⁺/C₂H₆, loss of C₂H₄ dominates clearly over H₂ elimination; however, the mechanisms significantly differs for the reactions of the “rollover”‐cyclometalated bipy complex and the classically cyclometalated phpy and bq complexes. While double hydrogen‐atom transfer from C₂H₆ to [Pt(bipy? H)]⁺, followed by ring rotation, gives rise to the formation of [Pt(H)(bipy)]⁺, for the phpy and bq complexes [Pt(L? H)]⁺, the cyclometalated motif is conserved; rather, according to DFT calculations, formation of [Pt(L? H)(H₂)]⁺ as the ionic product accounts for C₂H₄ liberation. In the latter process, [Pt(L? H)(H₂)(C₂H₄)]⁺ (that carries H₂ trans to the nitrogen atom of the heterocyclic ligand) serves, according to DFT calculation, as a precursor from which, due to the electronic peculiarities of the cyclometalated ligand, C₂H₄ rather than H₂ is ejected. For both product‐ion types, [Pt(H)(bipy)]⁺ and [Pt(L? H)(H₂)]⁺ (L=phpy, bq), H₂ loss to close a catalytic dehydrogenation cycle is feasible. In the reactions of [Pt(bipy? H)]⁺ with the higher alkanes C_nH_2n+2 (n=3, 4), H₂ elimination dominates over alkene formation; most probably, this observation is a consequence of the generation of allyl complexes, such as [Pt(C₃H₅)(bipy)]⁺. In the reactions of [Pt(L? H)]⁺ (L=phpy, bq) with propane and n‐butane, the losses of the alkenes and dihydrogen are of comparable intensities. While in the reactions of “rollover”‐cyclometalated [Pt(bipy? H)]⁺ with C_nH_2n+2 (n=2–4) less than 15 % of the generated product ions are formed by C? C bond‐cleavage processes, this value is about 60 % for the reaction with neo‐pentane. The result that C? C bond cleavage gains in importance for this substrate is a consequence of the fact that 1,2‐elimination of two hydrogen atoms is no option; this observation may suggest that in the reactions with the smaller alkanes, 1,1‐ and 1,3‐elimination pathways are only of minor importance.     

Thermal activation of methane and ethene by bare MO·+ (M=Ge, Sn, and Pb): a combined theoretical/experimental study

The thermal ion/molecule reactions (IMRs) of the Group 14 metal oxide radical cations MO ^{. +} (M=Ge, Sn, Pb) with methane and ethene were investigated. For the MO ^{. +}/CH₄ couples abstraction of a hydrogen atom to form MOH⁺ and a methyl radical constitutes the sole channel. The nearly barrier‐free process, combined with a large exothermicity as revealed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, suggests a fast and efficient reaction in agreement with the experiment. For the IMR of MO ^{. +} with ethene, two competitive channels exist: hydrogen‐atom abstraction (HAA) from and oxygen‐atom transfer (OAT) to the organic substrate. The HAA channel, yielding C₂H₃ ^. and MOH⁺ predominates for the GeO ^{. +}/ethene system, while for SnO ^{. +} and PbO ^{. +} the major reaction observed corresponds to the OAT producing M⁺ and C₂H₄O. The DFT‐derived potential‐energy surfaces are consistent with the experimental findings. The behavior of the metal oxide cations towards ethene can be explained in terms of the bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of MO⁺? H and M⁺? O, which define the hydrogen‐atom affinity of MO⁺ and the oxophilicity of M⁺, respectively. Since the differences among the BDEs(MO⁺? H) are rather small and the hydrogen‐atom affinities of the three radical cations MO ^{. +} exceed the BDE(CH₃? H) and BDE(C₂H₃? H), hydrogen‐atom abstraction is possible thermochemically. In contrast, the BDEs(M⁺? O) vary quite substantially; consequently, the OAT channel becomes energetically less favorable for GeO ^{. +} which exhibits the highest oxophilicity among these three group 14 metal ions.     

Oxirane as a chemical ionization gas: Reactivity towards different classes of compounds

Oxirane chemical ionization (CI) gives numerous ions, including C₂H₃O⁺ and C₂H₅O⁺. These ions react with organic molecules through various specific ion–molecule reactions such as hydride abstraction, protonation, additions or cycloadditions. Oxirane CI allows discrimination between unsaturated compounds with [M + 43]⁺ and [M + 57]⁺ adduct ions and heteroatom functions with [M + 45]⁺ adduct ion. All are diagnostic ions. Oxirane CI permits selectivity during the ionization process of a mixture and discrimination of isomers.     

Ion/molecule reactions of ammonia and methylamine with chloro- and nitrobenzene. A comparison of chemical ionization and ion cyclotron resonance experiments

It is shown by ion cyclotron resonance measurements that ion/molecule reactions, leading to substitution or reduction product ions from chloro- and nitrobenzene with the title amines, are those between the molecular ions [RNH₂]⁺ or [C₆H₅X]⁺˙ and their respective counterparts C₆H₅X or RNH₂. The protonated reagent gas ions [RNH₃]⁺ are not involved in these reactions. In the case of nitrobenzene, adduct ions [C₆H₅NO₂·RNH₃]⁺ do not decompose within the time scale of the measurements. The results obtained are compared with those found under chemical ionization conditions.     

A comparative theoretical study of the reactivities of the Al+ and Cu+ ions toward methylamine and dimethylamine

A very recent laser ablation‐molecular beam experiment shows that an Al⁺ ion can react with a single methylamine (MA, CH₃NH₂) or dimethylamine (DMA, (CH₃)₂NH) molecule to form a 1:1 ion–molecule complex Al⁺[CH₃NH₂] or Al⁺[(CH₃)₂NH)], whereas a dehydrogenated complex ion Cu⁺[CH₃N] or Cu⁺[C₂H₅N] is detected, respectively, in the similar reaction for a Cu⁺ ion. Here, we show a comparative density functional theory study for the reactivities of the Al⁺ and Cu⁺ ions toward MA and DMA to reveal the intrinsic mechanism. It is found that the interactions of the Al⁺ ion with MA and DMA are mostly electrostatic, leading to the direct ion–molecule complexes, Al⁺? NH₂CH₃ and Al⁺? NH( CH₃)₂, in contrast to the non‐negligible covalent character in the corresponding Cu⁺‐containing complexes, Cu⁺? NH₂CH₃ and Cu⁺? NH( CH₃)₂. The general dehydrogenation mechanism for MA and DMA promoted by the Cu⁺ ion has been shown, and the preponderant structures contributing to the mass spectra of the product ions Cu⁺[CH₃N] and Cu⁺[C₂H₅N] are rationalized as Cu⁺? NHCH₂ and Cu⁺? N( CH₂)( CH₃). The presumed dehydrogenation reactions are also discussed for the Al⁺‐containing systems. However, the involved barriers are found to be too high to be overcome at low energy conditions. These results have rationalized all the experimental observations well. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010     

Reactions of NO2+ and solvated NO2+ ions with aromatic compounds and alkanes

The rate constants and modes of reaction of NO₂⁺ and C₂H₅ONO₂NO₂⁺ with aromatic compounds and alkanes have been determined in a pulsed ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. Both ions undergo competing charge transfer and substitution reactions (NO₂⁺ + M → MO⁺ + NO; C₂H₅ONO₂NO₂⁺ + M → MNO₂⁺ + C₂H₅ONO₂) with aromatic molecules. In both cases, the probability that a collision results in charge transfer increases with increasing exothermicity of that process. The C₂H₅ONO₂NO₂⁺ ion does not undergo charge transfer with molecules having an ionization potential greater than about 212 kcal/mol (9.2 eV); this observation leads to an estimate of 13 kcal/mol for the binding energy between NO₂⁺ and C₂H₅ONO₂. The importance of the substitution reaction depends on the number of substituents on the aromatic ring and the molecular structure, and, in the case of C₂H₅ONO₂NO₂⁺ ions, on the energetics of the competing charge transfer process. Both NO₂⁺ and C₂H₅ONO₂NO₂⁺ undergo hydride transfer reactions with alkanes. For both these ions, k(hydride transfer)/k (collision) increases with increasing exothermicity of reaction, but in both cases the rate constants of reaction are unusually low when compared with other hydride transfer reactions of comparable exothermicity which have been reported in the literature. This is interpreted as evidence that the attack on the alkane preferentially involves the nitrogen atom (where the charge is localized) rather than one of the oxygen atoms of NO₂⁺.     

The structures and formation of [C4H6N]+ ions 2—ion structures derived from 2-methylpropanenitrile

The loss of a hydrogen atom from ionized 2-methylpropanenitrile is preceded by a drastic rearrangement of the molecular ion. The result of this fragmentation is the generation of two stable structurally different [C₄H₆N]⁺ ions, formed via different pathways. Their structures can be established by a careful comparison of the metastable ion spectra, collision activation spectra, and charge stripping spectra from the compound and its three deuterium labeled analogues and from [C₄H₆N]⁺ ions generated from reference compounds via electron impact ionization or in selected ion/molecule reactions.     

Speciation of [Cp*2M2O5] in Polar and Donor Solvents

The speciation of compounds [Cp*₂M₂O₅] (M=Mo, W; Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) in different protic and aprotic polar solvents (methanol, dimethyl sulfoxide, acetone, acetonitrile), in the presence of variable amounts of water or acid/base, has been investigated by ¹H NMR spectrometry and electrical conductivity. Specific hypotheses suggested by the experimental results have been further probed by DFT calculations. The solvent (S)‐assisted ionic dissociation to generate [Cp*MO₂(S)]⁺ and [Cp*MO₃]^? takes place extensively for both metals only in water/methanol mixtures. Equilibrium amounts of the neutral hydroxido species [Cp*MO₂(OH)] are generated in the presence of water, with the relative amount increasing in the order MeCN≈acetone<MeOH<DMSO. Addition of a base (Et₃N) converts [Cp*₂M₂O₅] into [Et₃NH]⁺[Cp*MO₃]^?, for which the presence of a N? H???O?M interaction is revealed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy in comparison with the sodium salts, Na⁺[Cp*MO₃]^?. These are fully dissociated in DMSO and MeOH, but display a slow equilibrium between free ions and the ion pair in MeCN and acetone. Only one resonance is observed for mixtures of [Cp*MO₃]^? and [Cp*MO₂(OH)] because of a rapid self‐exchange. In the presence of extensive ionic dissociation, only one resonance is observed for mixtures of the cationic [Cp*MO₂(S)]⁺ product and the residual undissociated [Cp*₂M₂O₅] because of a rapid associative exchange via the trinuclear [Cp*₃M₃O₇]⁺ intermediate. In neat methanol, complex [Cp*₂W₂O₅] reacts to yield extensive amounts of a new species, formulated as the mononuclear methoxido complex [Cp*WO₂(OMe)] on the basis of the DFT study. An equivalent product is not observed for the Mo system. The addition of increasing amounts of water results in the rapid decrease of this product in favor of [Cp*₂W₂O₅] and [Cp*WO₂(OH)].     

A theoretical study of catalytic hydration reactions of ethylene

The hydration reaction of ethylene, C₂H₄+H₂O → C₂H₅OH, catalyzed by oxoacids (H₃PO₄, H₂SO₄, and HClO₄) and metal cations (B³⁺, Al³⁺, Sc³⁺, Ga³⁺, La³⁺, Be²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Sr²⁺) are studied systematically by density functional theory with a BLYP functional. The reaction profiles of the main reaction and some side reactions, such as ester formation, dimerization of ethylene, and dehydrogenation of ethanol, have been determined with a variety of catalysts. In each case, the intermediate states, the transition states, and their energetics are calculated. Metal cations react more efficiently for the main reaction than oxoacids, but they also make the dehydrogenation reaction active. While the dimerization reaction is strongly affected by the acidity of the catalyst, both the acidity and basicity of the catalyst are important for the dehydrogenation reaction. Efficient formation of ethanol from ethylene over a catalyst is suggested. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 21: 1292–1304, 2000     

SiH+5 and the proton affinity of monosilane

Tandem mass spectrometric studies show that SiH⁺₅ is formed in bimolecular reactions of SiH₄ and NH⁺₂, C₂H⁺₃, C₂H⁺₆ and C₃H⁺₈ ions. The dependence of the reaction cross sections on ion energy indicates the formation of SiH⁺₅ from NH⁺₂, C₂H⁺₃, and C₂H⁺₆ to be exothermic reactions, while formation from C₃H⁺₈ is endothermic. Using known thermochemical data, these facts permit the assignment of 150 and 156 kcal/mole to the lower and upper limits of the proton affinity of monosilane.     

Theoretical and Experimental Study of Complex Ions from Reactions of Al+ (Cu+) with Amine Molecules

The gas phase reactions of metal ions (Al⁺, Cu⁺) with amine molecules [CH₃NH₂=MA, (CH₃)₂NH=DMA] were investigated using a laser ablation‐molecular beam method. The directly associated product complex ions,Al⁺‐MA and Al⁺‐DMA, and the dehydrogenation product ions, Cu⁺(CH₂NH) and Cu⁺(C₂H₅N), as well as hydrated ion Cu⁺(NC₂H₅·H₂O), have been obtained and recorded from the reactions of the metal ions and organic amine molecules, and density functional theory (B3LYP) calculations have been performed to reveal the optimized geometry, energetics, and reaction mechanism of the title reactions with basis set 6‐311+G(d,p) adopted.     

Structures of [C3H6O]+· ions from propylene oxide and methyl-substituted 1,3-dioxolanes by photodissociation and ion/molecule reactions

Photodissociation experiments and ion/molecule reactions with pyridine and hex-1-ene show that [C₃H₆O]^+· ions from propylene oxide isomerize to the vinyl metbyl ether structure. [C₃H₆O]^+· fragment ions from methyl-substituted 1,3-dioxolanes have lower internal energies. In these cases a mixture of photodissociating ring-opened propylene oxide ions and vinyl methyl ether ions is observed.     

Propane activation by MC5H5 (M = Ni and Co): An experimental and theoretical work

The reactions of MC₅H⁺₅ (M = Ni and Co) with propane in gaseous phase have been studied with an ion trap mass spectrometer; the MC₅H⁺₅ ions are able to activate the propane molecule which undergoes a dehydrogenation reaction. At variance with the reactions of the bare metal ions no loss of methane is observed; the reaction mechanism has been explored by means of DFT calculations and a possible explanation is offered for the different reactivity of these ligated ions.     

Fragmentation of ion–molecule adducts of transition metal ions with aromatic ring-containing nitriles in the gas phase

Gas-phase ion–molecule reactions of transition metal ions, M⁺ (M⁺ = Ni⁺, Co⁺, Fe⁺ and Mn⁺), with six aromatic ring-containing nitriles were investigated in a modified fast atom bombardment (FAB) source. It is shown that the monoadduct, (Ph(CH₂)_nCN)–M⁺, is one of the most abundant ion–molecule reaction products. The main fragments in the FAB source are the [C₇H₇]⁺ and [C₈H₉]⁺ ions, and their formation is shown to involve metal ion insertion into the nitriles rather than direct bond cleavage from the ‘free’ or complexed nitriles after FAB ionization. An intramolecular oxidation–reduction reaction, giving [C₇H₇]⁺, is found in the metastable and collisionally induced dissociations of benzyl nitrile adducts accompanied by neutral MCN formation, but not seen for longer chain samples. An ortho effect is observed in the elimination of HCN from the 2-methylbenzyl nitrile adduct ions. This reaction dominates the metastable ion spectrum of the adduct of Mn⁺, whereas metal detachment is nearly the major process for the other complexes of Mn⁺. The different bond-insertion selectivities of the metal ions are also shown.