Kinetic energy release in metastable ion transitions. A study by ion kinetic energy spectrometry and rrkm theory

An approach to energy partitioning using experimental data in conjunction with theoretical calculations is presented, with the McLafferty and related rearrangements occurring in the molecular ions of ketones, esters, amides and acid chlorides representing the specific reactions examined. The kinetic energy release associated with statistical partitioning of the nonfixed energy of the activated complex was calculated from unimolecular reaction theory and compared with experimental data. Calculations of the energy dependence of the rate constant and the average statistically released kinetic energy were made for 24 activated complexes corresponding to the two basic structures, cyclic and linear. The frequencies used in the calculations were all modeled upon the 2-pentanone case with sufficient variation in the frequencies used to allow for any reasonable type of perturbation of the linear and cyclic structures. To further test that the complexes chosen were reasonable, A-factors were determined. From a comparison of the calculated and experimental results, the contributions of the nonfixed energy of the activated complex and of the reverse activation energy to the energy release were separated. This appears to be applicable, not only to the 2-pentanone case, but across the series of reactions studied. It is also shown that, despite the fact that these reactions release relatively small kinetic energies, the fraction due to the reverse activation energies may be large. The consequences of these observations for ion enthalpy determinations are emphasized.     

Ion kinetic energy spectroscopy

Preliminary results indicate the value of ion kinetic energy (1KE) spectra in adding a new dimension to structural information obtained by mass spectrometry. These spectra are especially useful in the distinction of some isomer pairs. Energy spectra provide a summary of gaseous ion chemistry occurring as metastable transitions in the first-field free-drift region of the double-focusing (Mattauch-Herzog geometry) mass spectrometer and are produced by scanning the electrostatic sector voltage while recording the ions transmitted by the sector with the beam monitor electrometer.     

Use of a kinetic energy orifice as a probe of metastable dissociation in Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Although Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry is a powerful tool in the qualitative observation of gas phase reactions, ion detection is on the millisecond time scale, orders of magnitude longer than typically found when using a sector instrument. Observations of short-lived species such as chemically activated adduct ions can be accomplished using selective ion excitation as a probe of intermediate lifetime. Whereas ion elimination has been shown to be effective in monitoring ion lifetimes on the microsecond time scale, problems associated with detecting ions produced with high kinetic energies limits the technique. Use of a kinetic energy orifice as an ion skimmer effectively eliminates ions near the center of the ion cell at relatively low kinetic energies. By modifying a single section cell to include a kinetic energy orifice, the lifetimes of chemically activated adduct ions have been investigated.     

Probing trapped ion energies via ion-molecule reaction kinetics: Quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry

We present a detailed study of the energies of the ions stored in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer (QITMS). Previous studies have shown that the rate constant, k, for the charge exchange reaction Ar⁺ N⁺ ₂ →, N⁺ ₂+Ar increases with increasing ion-molecule center-of-mass kinetic energy (K.E._cm). Thus, we have determined k for this chemical “thermometer” reaction at a variety of Ar and N₂ pressures and have assigned K.E._cm values as a function of the q₂ of the Ar⁺ ion both with and without He buffer gas present in the trap. The K.E._cm energies are found to lie within the range 0.11–0.34 eV over the variety of experimental conditions investigated. Quantitative “cooling” effects due to the presence of He buffer gas are reported, as are increases in K.E._cm due to an increase in the q₂ of the Ar⁺ ion. “Effective” temperatures of the Ar⁺ ions in He buffer are determined based on a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of ion energies. The resulting temperatures are found to lie within the range ≈ 1700–3300 K. We have also examined the K.E._cm, values arising from the chemical thermometer reaction of O⁺ ₂ with CH₄, as previous assignments of effective ion temperatures based on this reaction have been called into question.     

The main beam correction term in kinetic energy release from metastable peaks

The correction term for the precursor ion signal width in determination of kinetic energy release is reviewed, and the correction term is formally derived. The derived correction term differs from the traditionally applied term. An experimental finding substantiates the inaccuracy in the latter. The application of the “T ‐value” to study kinetic energy release is found preferable to kinetic energy release distributions when the metastable peaks are slim and simple Gaussians. For electronically predissociated systems, a “borderline zero” kinetic energy release can be directly interpreted in reaction dynamics with strong curvature in the reaction coordinate.     

Metal ion detection using a fluorogenic ‘click’ reaction

A fluorogenic Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC) of 3-azido-7-hydroxycoumarin has been used to detect metal ions in solution. The formation of a highly fluorescent triazole product signals the presence of Cu(I) or Cu(II) ions at micromolar concentrations. CuAAC can be modified by using an exogenous ligand like EDTA to detect and quantify Zn(II), Ca(II), and Cd(II) ions at micromolar concentrations by an allosteric mechanism. The increase in the formation of the triazole product is regulated by the release of Cu(II) from the Cu(II)-EDTA complex by the addition of a second metal ion, the allosteric effector.     

The ion kinetic energy spectra of some chlorinated insecticides

The ion kinetic energy (IKE) spectra of the p,p′ and o,p′ DDT, DDD and DDE isomers have been examined. The results indicated that the decomposing [M-CCl₃] ions (b) (m/e 235) for the p,p′ and o,p′ DDT isomers were not energetically similar, suggesting retention of the positional identity of the aromatic chlorine substituents. Similar results were obtained for the [M – CHCl₂] ions (b) for the p,p′ and o,p′ DDD isomers. The IKE spectra of p,p′ and o,p′ DDE were indistinguishable, indicating loss of substituent identity of the aromatic chlorine group. The mechanistic and analytical consequences of these data are discussed. The IKE spectra of the four hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (V to VIII) are different and these spectra are obviously useful in the analysis and characterization of these structurally similar compounds. The differences in their reactivity must in some part be due to their different stereochemical orientations of the chlorine substituents.     

The determination of ring junction stereochemistry in steroids using mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectrometry

The unimolecular mass-analysed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) spectra of 9 pairs of hydrocarbon and ketone steroid isomers, differing only in the stereochemistry at the A/B and C/D ring junctions, have been measured and are discussed with a view to unambiguous structural identification. Reproducible differences in the MIKE spectra are observed, which are large enough in certain instances to suggest that MIKE spectrometry may be used for determining the stereochemistry of the A/B and C/D ring junctions in steroidal isomers, even if the second isomer is not available. This fortunate situation is rarely observed in conventional mass spectrometry of stereoisomeric steroids. Furthermore, these differences in the MIKE spectra may be correlated with differences in strain energy between configurational isomers. The sensitivity of MIKE spectrometry to differences in strain energies makes it a potentially powerful stereochemical probe.     

The fragmentation of aliphatic ketones in the mass spectrometer: A detailed study of nonan-4-one using ion kinetic energy spectroscopy

The ion kinetic energy (IKE) spectra of nonan-4-one, 7,7-d₂-nonan-4-one and 1,1,1-d₃-nonan-4-one have been recorded and interpreted. The various fragmentations observed in the IKE spectra have been confirmed and some new fragmentations found by carrying out high voltage scans with the magnetic field set successively to collect ions at each mass to charge ratio throughout the mass spectrum. Several new fragmentation modes have been discovered, and their significance is discussed.     

The ion kinetic energy spectra of some aromatic hydrocarbons

The technique of ion kinetic energy spectroscopy has been applied to the study of the aromatic hydrocarbons benzene, toluene, naphthalene, 2-methyl naphthalene, biphenyl and anthracene. The method is illustrated by a complete study of naphthalene in which transitions of metastable doubly- and singly-charged ions are listed, including reactions in which singly-charged ions are formed by collision induced charge-exchange reactions of doubly-charged ions and by the double process of charge-exchange and metastable decomposition with loss of one or two hydrogen atoms. Decompositions of doubly-charged ions into two singly-charged ions, together with the kinetic energies released in these decompositions, are also given for all the compounds studied.     

The structure of the ion: An ion kinetic energy spectrometry study

The kinetic energy release (T) values for the loss of CO from ions from five compounds have been obtained and are consistent with at least two different structures for the ion. This result is supported by the T value obtained for the decomposition of the molecular ions.     

A data acquisition system for mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy spectra using a personal computer

An inexpensive data acquisition system has been developed for mass-analyzed kinetic energy experiments which involve scanning the electrostatic analyzer of a reversed geometry mass spectrometer. The various hardware and software design features are described. Results for data obtained with a commercially available VG ZAB-2F mass spectrometer are presented and discussed.     

The benzoyl ion. Thermochemistry and kinetic energy release

The thermochemistry of benzoyl ion formation from a variety of sources has been examined by using the measured kinetic energy release for metastable ions to estimate the excess energy of the activated complex. A correlation is observed between this estimated excess energy and literature values of the heat of formation of the benzoyl ion. From this relationship and the observed correlation between the uncorrected heat of formation and the difference between the appearance potential of [C6H5CO]⁺ and the ionization potential of the parent compound, the large range of reported values for ΔHf[C6H5CO]⁺ is seen to be due, at least in part, to variation in the kinetic shift with the critical energy of the reaction. With the exception of the ion generated from trifluoroacetophenone and possibly that from benzaldehyde, the fragmenting [C7H5O]⁺ ions are shown, from kinetic energy release data, to be structurally identical. The approach adopted here may have general merit in improving or testing the accuracy of thermochemical data based on appearance potential measurements.     

Zero kinetic energy photoelectron spectroscopy of tetracene using laser desorption for vaporization

Far infrared (FIR) spectroscopy of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is of particular interest to astrophysics since vibrational modes in this range are representative of the molecular size and shape. This information is hence important for identification of chemical compositions and for modeling of the IR spectrum observed in the outer space. In this work, we report neutral and cation FIR spectroscopy of tetracene vaporized from a laser desorption source. Results from two-color resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization and two-color zero kinetic energy photoelectron spectroscopy will be presented. Several skeletal vibrational modes of the first electronically excited state of the neutral species and those of the cation are assigned, with the aid of ab initio and density functional calculations. The adiabatic ionization potential is determined to be 55 918 +/- 7 cm(-1). Interestingly, all observed vibrational modes can be rationalized based on a simple Huckle calculation, i.e., by observing the addition or elimination of nodal planes due to electronic excitation and/or ionization. Limited by the Franck-Condon principle and the rigidity of the molecular frame of tetracene, only IR forbidden modes are observed in this work.     

Probing trapped ion energies via ion-molecule reaction kinetics: Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

The kinetic energy-dependent Ar⁺+ N₂ ion-molecule reaction has been used as a chemical “thermometer” to determine the kinetic energy of ions produced by electron ionization and trapped by using a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer. The rate constant for this reaction obtained on the FTICR mass spectrometer was compared to previous work, which allowed a kinetic energy estimate to be made. In addition, the effects of varying parameters such as trapping voltage and pressure on ion kinetic energy were investigated. No evidence of the differing reactivity of higher energy electronic states of Ar⁺, such as ²P_1/2, was observed and the results of a model of this system are presented that support this observation. Pressure studies revealed that with an average of as few as 13 ion-molecule collisions, Ar⁺ ions are collisionally relaxed to an extent unaffected by additional collisions. Based on recent variable temperature selected ion flow drift tube measurements, FTICR ion energies are estimated to be slightly above thermal.     

The gas-phase reaction between hydroxide ion and methyl formate: a theoretical analysis of the energy surface and product distribution

The potential energy surface for the prototype solvent-free ester hydrolysis reaction: OH- +HCOOCH3 --> products has been characterized by high level ab initio calculations of MP4/6-311 + G(2df,2p)//MP2/6-31 + G(d) quality. These calculations reveal that the approach of an OH- ion leads to the formation of two distinct ion-molecule complexes: 1) the MS1 species with the hydroxide ion hydrogen bonded to the methyl group of the ester, and 2) the MS4 moiety resulting from proton abstraction of the formyl hydrogen by the hydroxide ion and formation of a three-body complex of water, methoxide ion and carbon monoxide. The first complex reacts to generate formate anion and methanol products through the well known B(AC)2 and S(N)2 mechanisms. RRKM calculations predict that these pathways will occur with a relative contribution of 85% and 15% at 298.15 K, in excellent agreement with experimentally measured values of 87% and 13%, respectively. The second complex reacts by loss of carbon monoxide to yield the water-methoxide complex through a single minimum potential surface and is the preferred pathway in the gas-phase. This water-methoxide adduct can further dissociate if the reactants have excess energy. These results provide clear evidence that the preferred pathways for ester hydrolysis in solution are dictated by solvation of the hydroxide ion.     

The ion kinetic energy and mass spectra of isomeric methyl indoles

The mass spectra of the seven isomeric methylindoles were recorded and the [metastable ion]/[daughter ion] ratios for the reactions m/e 130 → m/e 103 and m/e 103 → m/e 77 have been obtained. The ratios indicate that the decomposing [M — 1] ions (m/e 130) from the 4, 5, 6 and 7 isomers are energetically similar as are the [M — 1] ions from the 2 and 3 isomers. The results observed for the m/e → 103 m/e 77 reaction showed that the decomposing m/e 103 ions from the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 isomers all have the same energy distribution. N-Methylindole gave ratios which were similar to the 4 to 7 isomers at 70eV but different at 20 eV. The ion kinetic energy (IKE) spectra of all the isomeric methylindoles were also obtained and the results compared with the data obtained from the [metastable ion]/[daughter ion] approach. The results from the IKE spectra indicated that the energy distributions of the [M — 1] and [(M — 1) — HCN] ions from 1-methylindole and the [(M — 1) — HCN] ions from 2-methylindole could readily be distinguished from other isomers whose [metastable ion]/[daughter ion] ratios were similar. Thus by using both techniques certain ambiguities can be resolved.     

How to measure the kinetic energy distribution of the precursor ion main beam in mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy spectrometry experiments

Scans of the electrostatic analyzer (ESA) across the precursor ion beam in reverse-geometry (BE) mass spectrometers that are operated under double-focusing conditions do not measure the “energy resolution of the main beam”: They only measure double-focusing resolution. The only way that ESA scans can measure the kinetic energy distribution of the main beam is to operate the instrument so that angular (directional) focusing is not achieved. Thus, the mass spectrometer is no longer double-focusing. Under double-focusing conditions, however, scans of the accelerating voltage while the magnetic field and ESA are held constant can be used to measure either the kinetic energy distribution of the main beam that enters the magnet or the energy-resolving power of the instrument. Scans at a constant ratio of B²/E can be used similarly. The energy-resolving power of any ESA is defined by its dispersion and the widths of the energy-resolving object and image slits that immediately precede and follow the ESA, respectively. The use of BE, EB, and triple-sector instruments to measure energy-resolving power and the kinetic energy distribution of the precursor ion main beam is compared and discussed.     

Characterization of reaction intermediates by ion spectroscopy

In the last decade, we have experienced massive progress in spectroscopic methods for mass-selected ions. The aim of this tutorial review is to present action spectroscopy as a powerful tool for the investigation of ionic reaction intermediates. Examples span from ultraviolet and infrared photodissociation spectroscopy of model reaction intermediates to applications of infrared multiphoton dissociation spectroscopy (IRMPD) to intermediates directly sampled from reaction mixtures. The first example of double resonance IR-UV spectroscopy of model intermediates in an organometallic reaction is also mentioned.     

The decomposition of a triply-charged metastable positive ion of biphenyl

The transition, [C12H10]⁺³→[C₁₁H₇]⁺² + [CH₃]⁺, has been detected both in the ion kinetic energy spectrum and in the mass spectrum of biphenyl. The width of a resulting ‘metastable peak’ has been measured by setting the magnetic field to accept [C₁₁H₇]⁺² ions and scanning the high voltage at fixed electric sector voltage. The kinetic energy released in the decomposition, calculated from the peak width, amounted to 4.5 eV. With the assumption that this energy release is due entirely to charge separation, the charge distribution in [C₁₂H₁₀]⁺³ is discussed. The derivation of the equations used to calculate the energy released is given in the Appendix.