Size-specific reactions of copper cluster ions with a methanol molecule

Chemisorption of a methanol molecule onto a size-selected copper cluster ion, Cu(n)+ (n = 2-10), and subsequent reactions were investigated in a gas-beam geometry at a collision energy less than 2 eV in an apparatus based on a tandem-type mass spectrometer. Mass spectra of the product ions show that the following two reactions occur after chemisorption: dominant formation of Cu(n-1)+(H)(OH) (H(OH) formation) in the size range of 4-5 and that of Cu(n)O+ (demethanation) in the size range of 6-8 in addition to only chemisorption in the size range larger than 9. Absolute cross sections for the chemisorption, the H(OH) formation, and the demethanation processes were measured as functions of cluster size and collision energy. Optimized structures of bare copper cluster ions, reaction intermediates, and products were calculated by use of a hybrid method (B3LYP) consisting of the molecular orbital and the density functional methods. The origin of the size-dependent reactivity was explained as the structural change of cluster, two-dimensional to three-dimensional structures.     

Intracluster ion-molecule reactions of Ti+ with C2H5OH and CF3CH2OH clusters: influence of fluorine substituents on chemical reactivity

A laser ablation-molecular beam/reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometric technique was used to investigate the ion-molecule reactions that proceed within Ti+(ROH)n (R = C2H5, CF3CH2) heterocluster ions. The mass spectra exhibit a major sequence of cluster ions with the formula Ti+(OR)m(ROH)n (m = 1, 2), which is attributed to sequential insertions of Ti+ into the O-H bond of C2H5OH or CF3CH2OH molecules within the heteroclusters, followed by H eliminations. The TiO+ and TiOH+ ions produced from the reactions of Ti+ with C2H5OH are interpreted as arising from insertion of Ti+ into the C-O bond, followed by C2H5 and C2H6 eliminations, respectively. When Ti+ reacted with CF3CH2OH, by contrast, considerable contributions from TiFOH+, TiF2+, and TiF2OH+ ions were observed in the mass spectrum of the reaction products, indicating that F and OH abstractions are the dominant product channels. Ab initio calculations of the complex of Ti+ with 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol show that the minimum energy structure is that in which Ti+ is attached to the O atom and one of the three F atoms of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, forming a five-membered ring. Isotope-labeling experiments additionally show that the chemical reactivity of heterocluster ions is greatly influenced by the presence of fluorine substituents and cluster size. The reaction energetics and formation mechanisms of the observed heterocluster ions are discussed.     

Density functional theory-based prediction of some aqueous-phase chemistry of superheavy element 111. Roentgenium(I) is the "softest" metal ion

A previous approach (Hancock, R. D.; Bartolotti, L. J. Inorg. Chem. 2005, 44, 7175) using DFT calculations to predict log K1 (formation constant) values for complexes of NH3 in aqueous solution was used to examine the solution chemistry of Rg(I) (element 111), which is a congener of Cu(I), Ag(I), and Au(I) in Group 1B. Rg(I) has as its most stable presently known isotope a t(1/2) of 3.6 s, so that its solution chemistry is not easily accessible. LFER (Linear free energy relationships) were established between DeltaE(g) calculated by DFT for the formation of monoamine complexes from the aquo ions in the gas phase, and DeltaG(aq) for the formation of the corresponding complexes in aqueous solution. For M2+, M3+, and M4+ ions, the gas-phase reaction was [M(H2O)6]n+(g) + NH3(g) = [M(H2O)5NH3]n+(g) + H2O(g) (1), while for M+ ions, the reaction was [M(H2O)2]+(g) + NH3(g) = [M(H2O)NH3]+(g) + H2O(g) (2). A value for DeltaG(aq) and for DeltaE for the formation of M = Cu2+ in reaction 1, not obtained previously, was calculated by DFT and shown to correlate well with the LFER obtained previously for other M2+ ions, supporting the LFER approach used here. The simpler use of DeltaE values instead of DeltaG(aq) values calculated by DFT for formation of monoamine complexes in the gas phase leads to LFER as good as the DeltaG-based correlations. Values of DeltaE were calculated by DFT to construct LFER with M+ = H+, and the Group 1B metal ions Cu+, Ag+, Au+, and Rg+, and with L = NH3, H2S, and PH3 in reaction 3: [M(H2O)2]+(g) + L(g) = [M(H2O)L]+g) + H2O(g) (3). Correlations involving DeltaE calculated by DMol3 for H+, Cu+, Ag+, and Au+ could reliably be used to construct LFER and estimate unknown log K1 values for Rg(I) complexes of NH3, PH3, and H2S calculated using the ADF (Amsterdam Density Functional) code. Log K1 values for Rg(I) complexes are predicted that suggest the Rg(I) ion to be a very strong Lewis acid that is extremely "soft" in the Pearson hard and soft acids and bases sense.     

Ejection of Cluster Ions from a Liquid Beam of an Aniline-Propanol Solution Following Laser Photoionization

A simple technique of preparing a continuous laminar liquid flow in vacuum (liquid beam) was developed and combined with multiphoton ionization and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. This technique was applied to the study on resonance photoionization of an aniline (AN)-propanol (PrOH) solution (0.1 – 0.3 M). Binary cluster ions of aniline and propanol, AN⁺(PrOH)_n (n ≤ 1), and protonated propanol cluster ions, H⁺(PrOH)_n (n ≤ 1), were observed as product ions in the gas phase. The relative intensities of AN⁺PrOH and those of H⁺(PrOH)₂ were measured as functions of the excitation laser power and the concentration of aniline in the propanol solution. The dependences of the ion intensities on the laser power and the AN concentration are explained in terms of a Coulomb ejection model, where the ions are ejected from the surface by Coulomb repulsion exerted from neighboring ions. It is also concluded that H⁺(PrOH)_n is produced by a proton transfer reaction from an aniline ion to solvent molecules in the solution.     

Bond energies and structures of ammonia-sulfuric acid positive cluster ions

New particle formation in the atmosphere is initiated by nucleation of gas-phase species. The small molecular clusters that act as seeds for new particles are stabilized by the incorporation of an ion. Ion-induced nucleation of molecular cluster ions containing sulfuric acid generates new particles in the background troposphere. The addition of a proton-accepting species to sulfuric acid cluster ions can further stabilize them and may promote nucleation under a wider range of conditions. To understand and accurately predict atmospheric nucleation, the stabilities of each molecular cluster within a chemical family must be known. We present the first comprehensive measurements of the ammonia-sulfuric acid positive ion cluster system NH(4)(+)(NH(3))(n)(H(2)SO(4))(s). Enthalpies and entropies of individual growth steps within this system were measured using either an ion flow reactor-mass spectrometer system under equilibrium conditions or by thermal decomposition of clusters in an ion trap mass spectrometer. Low level ab initio structural calculations provided inputs to a master equation model to determine bond energies from thermal decomposition measurements. Optimized ab initio structures for clusters up through n = 3, s = 3 are reported. Upon addition of ammonia and sulfuric acid pairs, internal proton transfer generates multiple NH(4)(+) and HSO(4)(-) ions within the clusters. These multiple-ion structures are up to 50 kcal mol(-1) more stable than corresponding isomers that retain neutral NH(3) and H(2)SO(4) species. The lowest energy n = s clusters are composed entirely of ions. The addition of acid-base pairs to the core NH(4)(+) ion generates nanocrystals that begin to resemble the ammonium bisulfate bulk crystal starting with the smallest n = s cluster, NH(4)(+)(NH(3))(1)(H(2)SO(4))(1). In the absence of water, this cluster ion system nucleates spontaneously for conditions that encompass most of the free troposphere.     

Mechanisms of repeller-induced effects in thermospray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

The application of a high potential at the repeller electrode, positioned opposite to the sampling cone in order to increase the sampling efficiency, can induce fragmentation in thermospray mass Spectrometry. Until now, this fragmentation has been attributed to collision-induced dissociation. As a result of studies on the changes in the reagent gas composition in the thermospray buffer ionization mode as a function of the repeller potential in the positive-ion mode, it appears that three different processes are occurring. At low repeller potentials, the thermospray mass spectra of the eluent are determined by the proton affinities and the concentrations of the various solvent constituents, and the stabilities of the formed cluster ions under the ion source conditions. With an increase in the repeller potential, collision-induced dissociation of the background ions starts to occur. When the kinetic energy of the ions and cluster ions becomes high enough, endothermic proton transfer and solvent-switching reaction pathways are opened. For the relatively volatile analytes studied, e.g. aniline, acetophenone, benzaldehyde and benzoic acid, similar effects are observed.     

Hydrogen bonding interactions of pyridine*+ with water: stepwise solvation of distonic cations

The solvation energies of the pyridine*+ radical cation by 1-4 H2O molecules were determined by equilibrium measurements in a drift cell. The binding energies of the pyridine*+(H2O)n clusters are similar to the binding energies of protonated pyridine-water clusters, (C5H5NH+)(H2O)n, which involve NH+..OH2 bonds and different from those of the solvated benzene radical cation-water clusters, C6H6*+(H2O)n, which involve CHdelta+..OH2 bonds. These relations indicate that the observed pyridine*+ ions have the distonic *C5H4NH+ structures that can form NH+..OH2 bonds. The observed thermochemistry and ab initio calculations show that these bonds are not affected significantly by an unpaired electron at another site of the ion. Similar observations also identify the 2-fluoropyridine*+ distonic ion. The distonic structure is also consistent with the reactivity of pyridine*+ in H atom transfer, intra-cluster proton transfer and deprotonation reactions. The results present the first measured stepwise solvation energies of distonic ions, and demonstrate that cluster thermochemistry can identify distonic structures.     

应用反射式飞行时间质谱仪研究氨团簇离子解离动力学

用直射式和反射式飞行时间质谱研究了氨分子团簇体系在 355 nm激光下的多光子电离,得到一系列的质子化团簇离子 (NH3)nH+,同时还观察到超价氨团簇离子 (NH3)n H2＋。在反射式飞行时间质谱研究中观测到质子化氨团簇离子在自由飞行过程中的解离现象,表明在该实验条件下生成的质子化氨团簇离子是一些亚稳态团簇离子。对子离子产率的分析,得到质子化团簇离子解离速率常数,从而可以估计亚稳态团簇离子的寿命。团簇尺寸从 n＝3增大到 20,其寿命从 21 ms减小到 120 μs,大约小了两个数量级。解离速率在 n＝5到 6有一个阶跃式上升,这是由于 5个氨组成的质子化团簇离子(NH3)4NH4+ 的结构相对比较稳定。     

Chemical ionization mass spectra of acetals of beta-D-glycopyranosylnitromethanes

O-Isopropylidene and O-benzylidene acetals of common 2, 6-anhydro-1-deoxy-1-nitroalditols (beta-D-glycopyranosylnitromethanes) derived from D-glucose, D-galactose and D-mannose were studied by chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) using methane, isobutane, ammonia or pyridine as reaction gas. Production of [M+H](+) adduct ions dominates in the case of methane or isobutane possessing proton affinity values PA = 552 or 683 kJ mol(-1), respectively. The collision-induced dissociation time-of-flight product ion spectra of [M+H](+) ions differ characteristically according the stereochemical arrangement of the pyranoid ring. These differences can be helpful when assigning stereochemical arrangements for the pyranoid ring. The dominant process in ammonia (PA = 853 kJ mol(-1)) CIMS for most of the compounds studied is the production of the cluster ions [M+NH(4)](+). The cluster [M+pyridineH](+) ions are observable only for substances possessing the O-benzylidene group (PA of pyridine = 924 kJ mol(-1)). Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dissociative electron attachment to gas phase glycine: exploring the decomposition pathways by mass separation of isobaric fragment anions

Dissociative electron attachment to gas phase glycine generates a number of fragment ions, among them ions observed at the mass numbers 15, 16 and 26 amu. From stoichiometry they can be assigned to the chemically rather different species NH(-)/CH(3)(-)(15 amu), O(-)/NH(2)(-)(16 amu) and CN(-)/C(2)H(2)(-)(26 amu). Here we use a high resolution double focusing two sector mass spectrometer to separate these isobaric ions. It is thereby possible to unravel the decomposition reactions of the different transient negative ions formed upon resonant electron attachment to neutral glycine in the energy range 0-15 eV. We find that within the isobaric ion pairs, the individual components generally arise from resonances located at substantial different energies. The corresponding unimolecular decompositions involve complex reaction sequences including multiple bond cleavages and substantial rearrangement in the precursor ion. To support the interpretation and assignments we also use (13)C labelling of glycine at the carboxylic group.     

Collision energy transfer in collision of NH(4) (+)(NH(3))(n-1) (n=3-9) with ND(3)

An incorporation of ND(3) into protonated ammonia cluster ions NH(4)(+)(NH(3))(n-1) (n=3-9), together with a dissociation of the cluster ions, was observed in the collision of the cluster with ND(3) at collision energies ranging from 0.04 to 1.4 eV in the center-of-mass frame. The branching fractions of the cluster ion species produced in the reactions were obtained as a function of the collision energy. The branching fractions of the incorporation products were successfully explained in terms of the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel (RRK) theory at collision energies lower than the binding energy of the cluster ion. In addition, the internal energy distributions of the parent cluster ions were determined, and found to be in good agreement with those predicted using the evaporative ensemble model. In incorporations at collision energies lower than the binding energy of the cluster ion, all of the collision energy was transferred to the internal energy of the cluster ions; subsequently, an evaporation of ammonia molecules occurred in an equilibrium process after a complete energy redistribution in the clusters. In contrast, at collision energies higher than the binding energy of the cluster ion, a release of an ammonia molecule from the incorporation products occurred in a nonequilibrium process. The transition from the complex mode to the direct mode in the incorporation was observed at collision energies approximately equal to the binding energy. On the other hand, the collision energy dependence of the cross sections for the dissociation and for a nonreactive collision were estimated by a RRK simulation in which the collision energy transfer was interpreted by using the classical hard-sphere collision model. A relationship between reactivity and reaction modes in the collision of NH(4)(+)(NH(3))(4) with ND(3) is discussed via a comparison of the experimental results with the RRK simulation.     

Secondary ion emission induced by fission fragment impact in CO-NH(3) and CO-NH(3)-H(2)O ices: modification in the CO-NH(3) ice structure

CO-NH(3) and CO-NH(3)-H(2)O ices at 25-130 K were bombarded by (252)Cf fission fragments ( approximately 65 MeV at the target surface) and the emitted secondary ions were analyzed by time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). It is observed that the mass spectra obtained from both ices have similar patterns. The production of hybrid ions (formed from CO and NH(3) molecules) emitted from CO-NH(3) ice has already been reported by R. Martinez et al., Int. J. Mass. Spectrom. 262 (2006) 195; here, the secondary ion emission and the modifications of the CO--NH(3) ice structure during the temperature increase of the ice are addressed. These studies are expected to throw light on the sputtering from planetary and interstellar ices and the possible formation of new organic molecules in CO-NH(3)-H(2)O ice by megaelectronvolt ion bombardment. The presence of water in the CO-NH(3) ice mixture generates molecular ion series such as (NH(3))(p-q)(H(2)O)(q)CO(+) and replaces the cluster series (NH(3))(n)NH(4) (+) emission by the hybrid series (NH(3))(I-i)(H(2)O)(i=1, 2...I)H(+). The distribution of NH(3) and H(2)O molecules within the cluster groups indicates that ammonia and water mix homogeneously in the icy condensate at T = 25 K. The desorption yield distribution of the cluster series (NH(3))(n)NH(4) (+) is described by the sum of two exponential functions: one, slow-decreasing, attributed to the fragmentation of the solid target into clusters; and another, fast-decreasing, due to a local sublimation followed by recombination of ammonia molecules. The analysis of the time-temperature dependence of these two yield components gives information on the formation process of molecular ions, the transient composition of the ice target and structural changes of the ice. Data suggest that the amorphous and porous structure of the NH(3) ice, formed by the condensation of the CO--NH(3) gas at T = 25 K, survives CO sublimation until the occurrence of a phase transition around 80 K, which produces a more fragile ice structure.     

Isomer differentiation by combining gas chromatography,selective self-ion/molecule reactions and tandem mass spectrometry in an ion trap mass spectrometer

This study presents a novel, simple and rapid procedure for isomer differentiation by combining gas chromatography (GC), a selective self-ion/molecule reaction (SSIMR) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in an ion trap mass spectrometer (ITMS). SSIMR product ions were produced from four isomers. For aniline, SSIMR induces the formation of the molecular ion, [M+H](+), [M+CH](+), adduct ions of fragments ([M+F](+), where F represents fragment ions) and [2M-H](+). 2 and 3-Picoline produce [M+H](+), [2M-H](+) and [M+F](+), while 5-hexynenitrile produces [M+H](+), [M+F](+) and [2M+H](+) ions. The proposed method provides a relatively easy, rapid and efficient means of isomer differentiation via a SSIMR in the ITMS. Typically, isomer differentiation can be achieved within several minutes. The superiority of the SSIMR technique for isomer differentiation over electronic ionization (EI) is also demonstrated.     

Grotthus-type and diffusive proton transfer in 7-hydroxyquinoline.(NH(3))(n) clusters.

Proton translocation along ammonia wires is investigated in 7-hydroxyquinoline.(NH(3))(n) clusters, both experimentally by laser spectroscopy and theoretically by Hartree-Fock and density functional (DFT) calculations. These clusters serve as realistic finite-size models for proton transfer along a chain of hydrogen-bonded solvent molecules. In the enol tautomer of 7-hydroxyquinoline (7-HQ), the OH group acts as a proton injection site into the (NH(3))(n)cluster. Proton translocation along a chain of three NH(3) molecules within the cluster can take place, followed by reprotonation of 7-HQ at the quinolinic N atom, forming the 7-ketoquinoline tautomer. Exoergic proton transfer from the OH group of 7-HQ to the closest NH(3) molecule within the cluster giving a zwitterion 7-HQ-.(NH(3))(6)H+ (denoted PT-A) occurs at a threshold cluster size of n = 6 in the DFT calculations and at n = 5 or 6 experimentally. Three further locally stable zwitterion clusters denoted PT-B, PT-B', and PT-C, the keto tautomer, and several transition structures along the proton translocation path were characterized theoretically. Grotthus-type proton-hopping mechanisms occur for three of the proton transfer steps, which have low barriers and are exoergic or weakly endoergic. The step with the highest barrier involves a complex proton transfer mechanism, involving structural reorganization and large-scale diffusive motions of the cluster.     

Self-assembly formation of the magic ion of (H2O)20O+: observation of nanoscale cages of oxygenated water clusters induced from iron nanoparticles

For the first time, we observed a stable and intense ion (m/z 376) of the oxygenated water cluster ion ((H(2)O)(20)O(+)) produced from simply spraying an aqueous solution of iron nanoparticles (Fe NPs) into an electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) system. Tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS and MS/MS/MS) results were applied to identify the assignments of the fragment ions of m/z 376 in order to explore the possible structures of this cluster ion. The possible structures of the (H(2)O)(20)O(+) ions are proposed as pentagonal dodecahedron water clathrate cages from the results of tandem mass spectrometry since eliminations of five water molecules were frequently observed in the MS/MS results for many subsequent fragment ions of m/z 376. The formation of this oxygenated water cluster ion ((H(2)O)(20)O(+)) in ESI-MS is attributed to the high surface reactivity and surface energy of Fe NPs during ESI processes (under high temperature and high voltage (5 kV) of ESI spray environment). We believe that the observation of self-assembly formation of oxygenated water clusters is an important issue in nanoscience as well as in the fields of water clusters.     

Adsorption of water molecules on selected charged sodium-chloride clusters

The adsorption of water molecules (H(2)O) on sodium chloride cluster cations and anions was studied at 298 K over a mass range of 100-1200 amu using a custom-built laser desorption ionization reactor and mass spectrometer. Under the conditions used, the cations Na(3)Cl(2)(+) and Na(4)Cl(3)(+) bind up to three water molecules, whereas the larger cations, Na(5)Cl(4)(+) to Na(19)Cl(18)(+), formed hydrates with one or two only. The overall trend is a decrease in hydration with increasing cluster size, with an abrupt drop occurring at the closed-shell Na(14)Cl(13)(+). As compared to the cluster cations, the cluster anions showed almost no adsorption. Among smaller clusters, a weak adsorption of one water molecule was observed for the cluster anions Na(6)Cl(7)(-) and Na(7)Cl(8)(-). In the higher mass region, a substantial adsorption of one water molecule was observed for Na(14)Cl(15)(-). Density functional theory (DFT) computations were carried out for the adsorption of one molecule of H(2)O on the cations Na(n)Cl(n-1)(+), for n = 2-8, and the anions Na(n)Cl(n+1)(-), for n = 1-7. For each ion, the structure of the hydrate, the hydration energy, and the standard-state enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs energy of hydration at 298 K were computed. In addition, it was useful to compute the distortion energy, defined as the electronic energy lost due to weakening of the Na-Cl bonds upon adsorption of H(2)O. The results show that strong adsorption of a H(2)O molecule occurs for the linear cations only at an end Na ion and for the nonlinear cations only at a corner Na ion bonded to two Cl ions. An unexpected result of the theoretical investigation for the anions is that certain low-energy isomers of Na(6)Cl(7)(-) and Na(7)Cl(8)(-) bind H(2)O strongly enough to produce the observed weak adsorption. The possible implications of these results for the initial hydration of extended NaCl surfaces are discussed.     

Size-dependent reactions of ammonium bisulfate clusters with dimethylamine

The reaction kinetics of ammonium bisulfate clusters with dimethylamine (DMA) gas were investigated using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS). Clusters ranged in size from 1 to 10 bisulfate ions. Although displacement of the first several ammonium ions by DMA occurred with near unit efficiency, displacement of the final ammonium ion was cluster size dependent. For small clusters, all ammonium ions are exposed to incoming DMA molecules, allowing for facile exchange ("surface" exchange). However, with increasing cluster size, an ammonium ion can be trapped in an inaccessible region of the cluster ("core" exchange), thereby rendering exchange difficult. DMA was also observed to add onto existing dimethylaminium bisulfate clusters above a critical size, whereas ammonia did not add onto ammonium bisulfate clusters. The results suggest that as the cluster size increases, di-dimethylaminium sulfate formation becomes more favorable. The results of this study give further evidence to suggest that ambient sub-3 nm diameter particles are likely to contain aminium salts rather than ammonium salts.     

Collision-induced gas-phase reactions of perhalogenated closo-dodecaborate clusters--a comparative study

The gas phase reactivity of perhalogenated closo-dodecaborate clusters [B(12)X(12)](2-) (X = F, Cl, Br, I) with N-tetraalkylated ammonium counter ions was investigated by electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI-IT-MS). Collisions with the background gases introduced a broad variety of gas phase reactions. This study represents the first experimental approach to a new class of boron-rich boron clusters that are not accessible in the condensed phase. The anionic ion pair [B(12)X(12) + N(C(n)H(2n+1))(4)](-) is generally found as the ion of highest mass. Its reaction sequence starts with an alkyl transfer from the ammonium ion to the dodecaborate cluster. Subsequently, the alkylated intermediate [B(12)X(12) + C(n)H(2n+1)](-) decomposes to give very reactive ions of the general formula [B(12)X(11)](-). These ions possess a free boron vertex and immediately bind to the residual gases N(2) and H(2)O in the ion trap by formation of the corresponding adducts [B(12)X(11) + N(2)](-) and [B(12)X(11) + H(2)O](-). Subsequent fragmentations of the water adduct repetitively substitute halogen atoms by hydroxyl groups. The fragmentation process of the free anion [B(12)X(12)](2-) depends on the applied excitation energy and on the halogen substituent X. A radical dehalogenation of the B(12) unit is observed for X = I, whereas for X = Cl or F the loss of small molecules (mainly BX(3)) dominates. The different reaction behavior is explained by the different electron affinity of the halogens and the strength of the boron-halogen-bonds. Surprisingly, isolation of the fragment ion [B(12)I(9)](-) in the ion trap yields the highly stable [B(24)I(18)](2-) dianion. This observation suggests a reaction between two negative ions in the gas phase.     

Gas phase synthesis and reactivity of Agn+ and Ag(n-1)H+ cluster cations

Multi-stage mass spectrometry (MSn) on [(M + Ag - H)x + Ag]+ precursor ions (where M = an amino acid such as glycine or N,N-dimethylglycine) results in the formation of stable silver (Ag3+, Ag5+ and Ag7+) and silver hydride (Ag2H+, Ag4H+ and Ag6H+) cluster cations in the gas phase. Deuterium labelling studies reveal that the source of the hydride can be either from the alpha carbon or from one of the heteroatoms. When M = glycine, the silver cyanide clusters Ag4CN+ and Ag5(H,C,N)+ are also observed. Collision induced dissociation (CID) and DFT calculations were carried out on each of these clusters to shed some light on their possible structures. CID of the Agn+ and Ag(n-1)H+ clusters generally results in the formation of the same Ag(n-2)+ product ions via the loss of Ag2 and AgH respectively. DFT calculations also reveal that the Agn+ and Ag(n-1)H+ clusters have similar structural features and that the Ag(n-1)H+ clusters are only slightly less stable than their all silver counterparts. In addition, Agn+ and Ag(n-1)H+ clusters react with 2-propanol and 2-butylamine via similar pathways, with multiple ligand addition occurring and a coupled deamination-dehydration reaction occurring upon condensation of a third (for Ag2H+) or a fourth (for all other silver clusters) 2-butylamine molecule onto the clusters. Taken together, these results suggest that the Agn+ and Ag(n-1)H+ clusters are structurally related via the replacement of a silver atom with a hydrogen atom. This replacement does not dramatically alter the cluster stability or its unimolecular or bimolecular chemistry with the 2-propanol and 2-butylamine reagents.     

The dramatic effect of NH3 co-ligation on the Fe+-assisted activation of carbon dioxide in the gas phase: from bare metal ions to complexes

The catalytic efficiency of Fe(+) ion over the CO(2) decomposition in the gas phase has been extensively investigated with the help of electronic structure calculation methods. Potential-energy profiles for the activation process Fe(+) + CO(2) --> CO + FeO(+) along two rival potential reaction paths, namely the insertion and addition pathways, originating from the end-on kappa(1)-O and kappa(2)-O,O coordination modes of CO(2) with the metal ion, respectively, have been explored by DFT calculations. For each pathway the potential energy surfaces of the high-spin sextet (S = 5/2) and the intermediate-spin quartet (S = 3/2) spin-states have been explored. The complete energy reaction profile calculated by a combination of ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) computational techniques reveals a two-state reactivity, involving two spin inversions, for the decomposition process and accounts well for the experimentally observed inertness of bare Fe(+) ions towards CO(2) activation. Furthermore, the coordination of up to three extra ancillary NH(3) ligands with the Fe(+) metal ion has been explored and the geometric and energetic reaction profiles of the CO(2) activation processes Fe(+) + n x NH(3) + CO(2) --> [Fe(NH(3))(n)(CO(2))](+) --> [Fe(NH(3))(n)(O)(CO)](+) --> CO + [Fe(O)(NH(3))(n)](+) (n = 1, 2 or 3) have thoroughly been scrutinized for both the insertion and the addition mechanisms. Inter alia, the geometries and energies of the various states of the [Fe(NH(3))(n)(CO(2))](+) and [Fe(NH(3))(n)(O)(CO)](+) complexes are explored and compared. Finally, a detailed analysis of the coordination modes of CO(2) in the cationic [Fe(NH(3))(n)(CO(2))](+) (n = 0, 1, 2 and 3) complexes is presented.