Loss of methyl from [H2CC(OH)?CH3]+˙ ions prepared by electron impact ionization of unstable 2-hydroxypropene

Unstable 2-hydroxpropene was prepared by retro-Diels-Alder decomposition of 5-exo-methyl-5-norbornenol at 800°C/2 × 10^?6 Torr. The ionization energy of 2-hydroxypropene was measured as 8.67±0.05 eV. Formation of [C₂H₃O]⁺ and [CH₃]⁺ ions originating from different parts of the parent ion was examined by means of ¹³C and deuterium labelling. Threshold-energy [H₂C?C(OH)? CH₃]^+˙ ions decompose to CH₃CO⁺+CH₃^˙ with appearance energy AE(CH₃CO⁺) = 11.03 ± 0.03 eV. Higher energy ions also form CH₂?C?OH⁺ + CH₃ with appearance energy AE(CH₂?C?OH⁺) = 12.2–12.3 eV. The fragmentation competes with hydrogen migration between C(1) and C(3) in the parent ion. [C₂H₃O]⁺ ions containing the original methyl group and [CH₃]⁺ ions incorporating the former methylene and the hydroxyl hydrogen atom are formed preferentially, compared with their corresponding counterparts. This behaviour is due to rate-determining isomerization [H₂C?C(OH)? CH₃]^+˙ →[CH₃COCH₃]^+˙, followed by asymmetrical fragmentation of the latter ions. Effects of internal energy and isotope substitution are discussed.     

Electron impact ionization of ethylene–methanol heteroclusters: Stable configurations and mechanisms in intracluster ion–molecule reactions

Reactions that proceed within mixed ethylene–methanol cluster ions were studied using an electron impact time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The ion abundance ratio, [(C₂H₄)_n(CH₃OH)_mH⁺]/[(C₂H₄)_n(CH₃OH)_m⁺], shows a propensity to increase as the ethylene/methanol mixing ratio increases, indicating that the proton is preferentially bound to a methanol molecule in the heterocluster ions. The results from isotope-labelling experiments indicate that the effective formation of a protonated heterocluster is responsible for ethylene molecules in the clusters. The observed (C₂H₄)_n(CH₃OH)_m⁺ and (C₂H₄)_n(CH₃OH)_m–1CH₃O⁺ ions are interpreted as a consequence of the ion–neutral complex and intracluster ion–molecule reaction, respectively. Experimental evidence for the stable configurations of heterocluster species is found from the distinct abundance distributions of these ions and also from the observation of fragment peaks in the mass spectra. Investigations on the relative cluster ion distribution under various conditions suggest that (C₂H₄)_n(CH₃OH)_mH⁺ ions with n + m ≤ 3 have particularly stable structures. The result is understood on the basis of ion–molecule condensation reactions, leading to the formation of fragment ions, $ {\rm CH}_2=\!=\mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + {\rm CH}_3 $ and (CH₃OH)H₃O⁺, and the effective stabilization by a polar molecule. The reaction energies of proposed mechanisms are presented for (C₂H₄)_n(CH₃OH)_mH⁺(n + m ≤ 3) using semi-empirical molecular orbital calculations.     

Structure and formation of gaseous [C4H6O]+˙ ions: 1—The enolic ions [CH2C(OH)?CHCH2]+˙ and [CH2CH?CHCH(OH)]+˙ and their relationship with their keto counterparts

The [C₄H₆O]^+˙ ion of structure [CH₂?CHCH?CHOH]^+˙ (a) is generated by loss of C₄H₈ from ionized 6,6-dimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-ol. The heat of formation ΔH_f of [CH₂?CHCH?CHOH]^+˙ was estimated to be 736 kJ mol^?1. The isomeric ion [CH₂?C(OH)CH?CH₂]^+˙ (b) was shown to have ΔH_f, ? 761 kJ mol^?1, 54 kJ mol^?1 less than that of its keto analogue [CH₃COCH?CH₂]^+˙. Ion [CH₂?C(OH)CH?CH₂]^+˙ may be generated by loss of C₂H₄ from ionized hex-1-en-3-one or by loss of C₄H₈ from ionized 4,4-dimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-ol. The [C₄H₆O]^+˙ ion generated by loss of C₂H₄ from ionized 2-cyclohexen-1-ol was shown to consist of a mixture of the above enol ions by comparing the metastable ion and collisional activation mass spectra of [CH₂?CHCH?CHOH]^+˙ and [CH₂?C(OH)CH?CH₂]^+˙ ions with that of the above daughter ion. It is further concluded that prior to their major fragmentations by loss of CH₃˙ and CO, [CH₂?CHCH?CHOH]⁺˙ and [CH₂?C(OH)CH?CH₂]^+˙ do not rearrange to their keto counterparts. The metastable ion and collisional activation characteristics of the isomeric allenic [C₄H₆O]^+˙ ion [CH₂?C?CHCH₂OH]^+˙ are also reported.     

Positive and negative methanol cluster ions using a direct fast atom bombardment technique

Positive and negative cluster ions in methanol have been examined using a direct fast atom bombardment (FAB) probe technique. Positive ion (CH₃OH)_IIH ⁺ clusters with n = 1-28 have been observed and their clusters are the dominant ions in the low-mass region. Cluster-ion reaction products (CH₃OH)_II(H₂O)H⁺ and (CH₃OH)_II(CH₃OCH₃)H⁺ are observed for a wide range of n and the abundances of these ions decrease with increasing n. The negative ion (CH₃OH)_II(CH₃O)^? clusters are also readily observed with n = 0-24 and these form the most-abundant negative ion series at low n. The (CH₃OH)_II(CH₂O)^?, (CH₃OH)_II(H_IIO)(CH₂O)^? and (CH₃OH)_II(H₂OXCH₃O)^? cluster ions are formed and the abundances of these ions approach those of the (CH₃OH)_II(CH₃O)^? ion series at high n. Cluster-ion structures and energetics have been examined using semi-empirical molecular orbital methods.     

Study of ion structures produced by the reaction of 2-propyl cations with water and methanol; covalently bound v. Hydrogen-bridged adducts

In contrast to an earlier report,¹ the collisonally induced dissociation of protonated 2-propanol and t-butyl alcohol yields spectra that are indistinguishable from those of the corresponding [C₃H₇/H₂O]⁺ and [C₄H₉/H₂O]⁺ ions generated by the (formal) gas phase addition reactions in a high pressure ion source of [s-C₃H₇]⁺ and [t-C₄H₉]⁺ ions with the n-donor H₂O. Similarly, [s-C₃H₇/CH₃OH]⁺ ions generated by both gas phase protonation of n- and s-propyl methyl ethers and addition reactions of [C₃H₇]⁺ to CH₃OH display mode-of-generation-independent collisionally induced dissociation characteristics. However, analysis of the unimolecular dissociation (loss of propene) of the [C₃H₇/CH₃OH]⁺ system, including a number of its deuterium, ¹³C- and ¹⁸O-labelled isotopomers, supports the idea that prior to unimolecular dissociation, covalently bound [C₃H₇- O(H)CH₃]⁺ ions intercovert with hydrogen-bridged adduct ions, analogous to the behaviour of the distonic ethene-, propene- and ketene-H₂O radical cations.     

Hydrogen rearrangement in molecular ions of alkyl benzenes: Appearance potentials and substituent effects on the formation of [C7H8]+ ions

The mechanism of the formation of [C₇H₈]⁺ ions by hydrogen rearrangement in the molecular ions of 1-phenylpropane and 1,3-diphenylpropane has been investigated by looking at the effects of CH₃O and CF₃ substituents in the meta and para positions on the relative abundances of the corresponding ions and on the appearance energies. The formation of [C₇H₈]⁺ ions from 1,3-diphenylpropane is much enhanced at the expense of the formation of [C₇H₇]⁺ ions by benzylic cleavage, due to the localized activation of the migrating hydrogen atom by the γ phenyl group. A methoxy substituent in the 1,3-diphenylpropane, exerts a site-specific influence on the hydrogen rearrangement, which is much more distinct than in 1-phenylpropane and related 1-phenylalkanes, the rearrangement reaction being favoured by a meta methoxy group. The mass spectrum of 1-(3-methoxyphenyl)-3-(4-trideuteromethoxyphenyl)-propane shows that this effect is even stronger than the effect of para methoxy groups on the benzylic cleavage. From measurements of appearance potentials it is concluded that the substituent effect is not due to a stabilization of the [C₇H₇X]⁺ product ions. Whereas the [C₇H₇]⁺ ions are formed directly from molecular ions of 1-phenylpropane and 1,3-diphenylpropane, the [C₇H₈]⁺ ions arise by a two-step mechanism in which the s? complex type ion intermediate can either return to the molecular ion or fragment to [C₇H₈]⁺ by allylic bond cleavage. Obviously the formation of this s? complex type ion, is influenced by electron donating substituents in specific positions at the phenyl group. This is borne out by a calculation of the ΔH_f values of the various species by thermochemical data. Thus, the relative abundances of the fragment ions are determined by an isomerization equilibrium of the molecular ions, preceding the fragmentation reaction.     

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.     

Synthesis and Surface Properties of Novel Cationic Gemini Surfactants

A series of novel cationic gemini surfactants, p-[C _n H_2n+1N⁺(CH₃)₂CH₂CH(OH)CH₂O]₂C₆H₄·2Cl^? [A(n = 12), B(n = 14) and C(n = 16)], containing a spacer group with two flexible and hydrophilic groups (2-hydroxy-1,3-propylene) on both sides of a rigid and hydrophobic group (1,4-dioxyphenylene) has been synthesized by the reaction of hydroquinone diglycidyl ether with N,N-dimethylalkylamine and N,N-dimethylalkylamine hydrochloride. Their surface-active properties have been investigated by surface tension measurement. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) values of the synthesized cationic gemini surfactants are one order of magnitude lower than those of their corresponding monomeric surfactants (C _n H_2n + 1N⁺(CH₃)₃·Cl^?). Both the cmc and surface tension at the cmc (γ_cmc) of A are lower than those of p-[C₁₂H₂₅N⁺(CH₃)₂CH₂]₂C₆H₄·2Cl^? (D). The novel cationic gemini surfactants A and B also show good foaming properties.     

catena‐Poly[[tetra­kis(μ‐propionato‐κ2O:O′)dicopper(II)]‐μ‐3‐pyridylmethanol‐κ2N:O‐[bis­(propionato‐κO)bis­(3‐pyridylmethanol‐κN)copper(II)]‐μ‐3‐pyridylmethanol‐κO:N]

The title compound, [Cu₃(C₃H₅O₂)₆(C₆H₇NO)₄]_n, is composed of polymeric chains formed by alternating centrosymmetric Cu₂(μ‐CH₃CH₂CO₂)₄ and Cu(C₃H₅O₂)₂(C₆H₇NO)₂ units. These elemental units are linked by two bridging 3‐pyridylmethanol (3PM) ligands. The Cu₂(μ‐CH₃CH₂CO₂)₄ group presents a centrosymmetric tetra­bridged structure with four syn–syn bridging propionate ligands to which two 3PM mol­ecules are bonded (through N), occupying the apical positions of each square‐pyramidal polyhedron around the Cu^II ions. The remaining mononuclear group is centred around a third Cu^II ion, which lies on a symmetry centre and is bound to two monodentate propionate groups (through O), two monodentate 3PM mol­ecules (through N) and two bridging 3PM mol­ecules (through O), thus completing a square‐bipyramidal CuO₂N₂O₂ coordination.     

Neutral counterparts of the C2H7O+ isomers

The neutral counterparts of the C₂H₇O⁺ isomers CH₃O⁺ (H)CH₃, CH₃CH₂OH₂⁺ and $ {\rm C}_2 \,{\rm H}_4 \,\, \cdot \cdot \cdot \mathop {\rm H}\limits^ + \, \cdot \cdot \cdot {\rm OH}_2 $ were studied by neutralization-reionization mass spectrometry. Protonated dimethyl ether and its —O(D)⁺ analogue were produced by protonation (deuteration) of dimethyl ether and also generated as a fragment ion from (labeled) ionized CH₃OCH₂CH(OH)CH₃ by loss of CH₃CO?. It was observed that the dissociation characteristics of the ions and the stability of their neutral counterpart depended on the internal energy of the protonated ether ions. Stable neutral CH₃?(H)CH₃ was only produced from energy-rich ions. The classical protonated ethanol ion CH₃CH₂OH₂⁺ (a) was produced at threshold by the loss of CH₃CO?. from ionized butane-2,3-diol. Mixtures of a with the non-classical ion $ {\rm C}_2 \,{\rm H}_4 \,\, \cdot \cdot \cdot \mathop {\rm H}\limits^ + \, \cdot \cdot \cdot {\rm OH}_2 $ (b) were produced by reaction of C₂H₅⁺ ions with H₂O. As for the protonated ether, only high-energy a and/or b ions yielded stable hypervalent radicals. It is suggested that the stable C₂H₇?O radicals are Rydberg states.     

Mass spectrometric monitoring of oxidation of aliphatic C6–C8 hydrocarbons and ethanol in low pressure oxygen and air plasmas

Experimental and theoretical studies on the oxidation of saturated hydrocarbons (n‐hexane, cyclohexane, n‐heptane, n‐octane and isooctane) and ethanol in 28 Torr O₂ or air plasma generated by a hollow cathode discharge ion source were made. Ions corresponding to [M + 15]⁺ and [M + 13]⁺ in addition to [M ? H]⁺ and [M ? 3H]⁺ were detected as major ions where M is the sample molecule. The ions [M + 15]⁺ and [M + 13]⁺ were assigned as oxidation products, [M ? H + O]⁺ and [M ? 3H + O]⁺, respectively. By the tandem mass spectrometry analysis of [M ? H + O]⁺ and [M ? 3H + O]⁺, H₂O, olefins (and/or cycloalkanes) and oxygen‐containing compounds were eliminated from these ions. Ozone as one of the terminal products in the O₂ plasma was postulated as the oxidizing reagent. As an example, the reactions of C₆H₁₄^+? with O₂ and of C₆H₁₃⁺ (CH₃CH₂CH⁺CH₂CH₂CH₃) with ozone were examined by density functional theory calculations. Nucleophilic interaction of ozone with C₆H₁₃⁺ leads to the formation of protonated ketone, CH₃CH₂C(=OH⁺)CH₂CH₂CH₃. In air plasma, [M ? H + O]⁺ became predominant over carbocations, [M ? H]⁺ and [M ? 3H]⁺. For ethanol, the protonated acetic acid CH₃C(OH)₂⁺ (m/z 61.03) was formed as the oxidation product. The peaks at m/z 75.04 and 75.08 are assigned as protonated ethyl formate and protonated diethyl ether, respectively, and that at m/z 89.06 as protonated ethyl acetate. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The structure of decomposing [C7H7O]+ ions: Benzyl versus tropylium ion structures

The unimolecular dissociation reactions for [C₇H₇O]⁺ ions generated by fragmentation of a series of precursor molecules have been investigated. The metastable kinetic energy values and branching ratios associated with decarbonylation and expulsion of a molecule of formaldehyde (CH₂O) from the [C₇H₇O]⁺ ions are interpreted as the hydroxybenzyl and hydroxytropylium [C₇H₇O]⁺ not interconverting to a common structure on the microsecond time-scale. In addition, similar measurements on protonated benzaldehyde, methylaryloxy and phenyl methylene ether [C₇H₇O]⁺ ions are interpreted as the dominant fraction of these decomposing ions having unique structures on the microsecond time-scale. These results are supported by experimental heats of formation calculated from ionization/appearance energy measurements. The experimental heats of formation are determined as: hydroxybenzyl ions, 735 kJ mol^?1; hydroxytropylium ions, 656 kJ mol^?1; phenyl methylene ether ions, 640 kJ mol^?1; methylaryloxy ions 803 kJ mol^?1. The combination of the results reported in this paper with previously reported experimental data for stable [C₇H₇O]⁺ ions (see Ref. 1, C. J. Cassady, B. S. Freiser and D. H. Russell, Org. Mass Spectrom.) is interpreted as evidence that the relative population of benzyl versus tropylium [C₇H₇O]⁺ ion structures from a given precursor molecule is determined by isomerization of the parent ion and not by structural equilibration of the [C₇H₇O]⁺ ion.     

Functional group interaction in the fragmentation of protonated 2,7-octanedione

The fragmentation of 2,7-octanedione, induced by chemical ionization with methane as a reagent gas (CI (CH₄)), is shown to be extensively governed by the interaction of the two carbonyl groups. Tandem mass spectrometry reveals that a sequential loss of H₂O and C₂H₄O from the [M + H]⁺ ion competes with sequential loss of H₂O and C₆H₁₀, and that both processes occur via the same [MH - H₂O]⁺ intermediate. This intermediate is likely to be formed via intramolecular gas-phase aldol condensation and subsequent dehydration. The resulting C(1) protonated 1-acetyl-2-methylcyclopentene structure readily accounts for the observed further decomposition to CH₃C?O⁺ and 1-methylcyclopentene (C₆H₁₀) or, alternatively, to [C₆H₉]⁺ (e. g. 1-methylcyclopentenylium) ions and acetaldehyde (C₂H₄O). Support for this mechanistic rationale is derived from deuterium isotope labelling and low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the [MH - H₂O]⁺ ion. The common intermediate shows a CID behaviour indistinguishable by these techniques from that of reference ions, which are produced by gas-phase protonation of the authentic cyclic aldol or by gas-phase addition of an acetyl cation to 1-methylcyclopentene in a CI (CH₃COOCH₃) experiment.     

Formation and hydrolysis of gas‐phase [UO2(R)]+: R═CH3, CH2CH3, CH═CH2, and C6H5

The goals of the present study were (a) to create positively charged organo‐uranyl complexes with general formula [UO₂(R)]⁺ (eg, R═CH₃ and CH₂CH₃) by decarboxylation of [UO₂(O₂C─R)]⁺ precursors and (b) to identify the pathways by which the complexes, if formed, dissociate by collisional activation or otherwise react when exposed to gas‐phase H₂O. Collision‐induced dissociation (CID) of both [UO₂(O₂C─CH₃)]⁺ and [UO₂(O₂C─CH₂CH₃)]⁺ causes H⁺ transfer and elimination of a ketene to leave [UO₂(OH)]⁺. However, CID of the alkoxides [UO₂(OCH₂CH₃)]⁺ and [UO₂(OCH₂CH₂CH₃)]⁺ produced [UO₂(CH₃)]⁺ and [UO₂(CH₂CH₃)]⁺, respectively. Isolation of [UO₂(CH₃)]⁺ and [UO₂(CH₂CH₃)]⁺ for reaction with H₂O caused formation of [UO₂(H₂O)]⁺ by elimination of ·CH₃ and ·CH₂CH₃: Hydrolysis was not observed. CID of the acrylate and benzoate versions of the complexes, [UO₂(O₂C─CH═CH₂)]⁺ and [UO₂(O₂C─C₆H₅)]⁺, caused decarboxylation to leave [UO₂(CH═CH₂)]⁺ and [UO₂(C₆H₅)]⁺, respectively. These organometallic species do react with H₂O to produce [UO₂(OH)]⁺, and loss of the respective radicals to leave [UO₂(H₂O)]⁺ was not detected. Density functional theory calculations suggest that formation of [UO₂(OH)]⁺, rather than the hydrated U^VO₂⁺, cation is energetically favored regardless of the precursor ion. However, for the [UO₂(CH₃)]⁺ and [UO₂(CH₂CH₃)]⁺ precursors, the transition state energy for proton transfer to generate [UO₂(OH)]⁺ and the associated neutral alkanes is higher than the path involving direct elimination of the organic neutral to form [UO₂(H₂O)]⁺. The situation is reversed for the [UO₂(CH═CH₂)]⁺ and [UO₂(C₆H₅)]⁺ precursors: The transition state for proton transfer is lower than the energy required for creation of [UO₂(H₂O)]⁺ by elimination of CH═CH₂ or C₆H₅ radical.     

Loss of methyl from ionized 2-hydroxy-1,3-butadiene

The loss of methyl from unstable, metastable and collisionally activated [CH₂?CH? C(OH)?CH₂]⁺˙ ions (1⁺˙) was examined by means of deuterium and ¹³C labelling, appearance energy measurements and product identification. High-energy, short-lived 1⁺˙ lose methyl groups incorporating the original enolic methene (C(1)) and the hydroxyl hydrogen atom (H(0)). The eliminations of C(1)H(1)H(1)H(4) and C(4)H(4)H(4)H(0) are less frequent in high-energy ions. Metastable 1⁺˙ eliminate mainly C(1)H(1)H(1)H(4), the elimination being accompanied by incomplete randomization of the five carbon-bound hydrogen atoms. The resulting [C₃H₃O]⁺ ions have been identified as the most stable CH₂?CH? CO⁺ species. The appearance energy for the loss of methyl from 1 was measured as AE[C₃H₃O]⁺ = 10.47 ± 0.05 eV. The critical energy for 1⁺˙ → [C₃H₃O]⁺ + CH₃˙ is assessed as E_c ? 173 kJ mol^?1. Reaction mechanisms are proposed and discussed.     

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.     

A mass spectral study of 1-(aryldimethylsilyl)-2-propanones and their isomeric 2-(aryldimethylsiloxy)-1-propenes

The mass spectra of a series of β-ketosilanes, p-Y? C₆H₄Me₂SiCH₂C(O)Me and their isomeric silyl enol ethers, p-Y? C₆H₄Me₂SiOC(CH₃)?CH₂, where Y = H, Me, MeO, Cl, F and CF₃, have been recorded. The fragmentation patterns for the β-ketosilanes are very similar to those of their silyl enol ether counterparts. The seven major primary fragment ions are [M? Me·]⁺, [M? C₆H₄Y·]⁺, [M? Me₂SiO]⁺˙, [M? C₃H₄]⁺˙, [M? HC?CCF₃]⁺˙, [Me₂SiOH]⁺˙ and [C₃H₆O]⁺˙ Apparently, upon electron bombardment the β-ketosilanes must undergo rearrangement to an ion structure very similar to that of the ionized silyl enol ethers followed by unimolecular ion decompositions. Substitutions on the benzene ring show a significant effect on the formation of the ions [M? Me₂SiO]⁺˙ and [Me₂SiOH]⁺˙, electron donating groups favoring the former and electron withdrawing groups favoring the latter. The mass spectral fragmentation pathways were identified by observing metastable peaks, metastable ion mass spectra and ion kinetic energy spectra.     

A comparison of the unimolecular decomposition pathways of some C7 and C8 ions in the gas phase

[CnH_2n?3]⁺ and [C_nH_2n?4]⁺·(n = 7, 8) ions have been generated in the mass spectrometer from C_nH_2n?3 Br (n = 7, 8) precursors and from two steroids. The relative abundances of competing ‘metastable transitionss’ indicate (partial) isomerization to a common structure (or mixture of structures) prior to decomposition in most examples of all four types of ions. In contrast, [C₈H₁₀O]⁺· and [C₈H₁₂O]⁺· ions, generated from different sources as molecular ions and by fragmentation of steroids, do not decompose through common-intermediates.     

Investigation of commercial sodium cacodylate trihydrate: penta‐μ‐aqua‐disodium(I) bis(dimethylarsenate) and di‐μ‐aqua‐bis[triaquasodium(I)] bis(dimethylarsenate)

Crystals from commercial samples of sodium cacodylate trihydrate, NaO₂As(CH₃)₂·3H₂O, were analyzed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and two phases were identified, viz. penta‐μ‐aqua‐disodium(I) bis(dimethylarsenate), {[Na₂(H₂O)₅](C₂H₆AsO₂)₂}_n, (I), and di‐μ‐aqua‐bis[triaquasodium(I)] bis(dimethylarsenate), [Na₂(H₂O)₈](C₂H₆AsO₂)₂, (II). Both (I) and (II) form layered structures in which hydrated Na⁺ ions form layers in the ab plane, the cacodylate ions being located in between the layers. In (I), the two non‐equivalent Na⁺ ions (located at twofold axes) and the three non‐equivalent aqua ligands (one of which also lies on a twofold axis) form infinite polymeric layers, but in (II), layers of discrete centrosymmetric [Na₂(H₂O)₈]²⁺ ions are present. One of the commercial samples analyzed contained almost exclusively crystals of the tetrahydrate (II), while another sample consisted of a mixture of the two phases.     

The role of ion–neutral complexes in the reactions of onium ions and related species

An account is given of the development of the proposal that ion–neutral complexes are involved in the unimolecular reactions of onium ions (R¹R²C?Z⁺R³; Z = O, S, NR⁴; R¹, R², R³, R⁴ = H, C_nH_{2n + 1}), with particular emphasis on the informative C₄H₉O⁺ oxonium ion system (Z = O; R¹, R² = H; R³ = C₃H₇). Current ideas on the role of ion-neutral complexes in cation rearrangements, hydrogen transfer processes and more complex isomerizations are illustrated by considering the behaviour of isomeric CH₃CH₂CH₂X⁺ and (CH₃)₂CHX⁺ species [X = CH₂O, CH₃CHO, H₂O, CH₃OH, NH₃, NH₂CH₃, NH(CH₃)₂, CH₂?NH, CH₂?NCH₃, CO, CH₃˙, Br˙ and I˙]. Attention is focused on the importance of four energetic factors (the stabilization energy of the ion–neutral complex, the energy released by rearrangement of the cationic component, the enthalpy change for proton transfer between the partners of the ion neutral complex and the ergicity of recombination of the components) which influence the reactivity of the complexes. The nature and extent of the chemistry involving ion-neutral complexes depend on the relative magnitudes of these parameters. Thus, when the magnitude of the stabilization energy exceeds the energy released by cation rearrangement, the ergicity of proton transfer is small, and recombination of the components in a new way is energetically favourable, extensive complex-mediated isomerizations tend to occur. Loss of H₂O from metastable CH₂?O⁺C₃H₇ ions is an example of such a reaction. Conversely, if the stabilization energy is small compared with the magnitude of the energy released by eation rearrangement, the opportunities for complex-mediated processes to become manifest are decreased, especially if proton transfer is endoergic. Thus, CH₃CH₂CH₂CO⁺ expels CO, with an increased kinetic energy release, after rate-limiting isomerization of CH₃CH₂CH₂⁺? CO to (CH₃)₂CH⁺? CO has taken place. When proton transfer between the components of the complex is strongly exoergic, fragmentation corresponding to single hydrogen transfer occurs readily. The proton-transfer step is often preceded by cation rearrangement for CH₃CH₂CH₂X⁺ species. In such circumstances, the involvement of ion–neutral complexes can be detected by the observation of unusual site selectivity in the hydrogen-transfer step. Thus, C₃H₆ loss from CH₂?N⁺(R¹)CH₂CH₂CH₃ (R¹ = H, CH₃, C₃H₇) immonium ions is found by ²H-labelling experiments to proceed via preferential α-and γ-hydrogen transfer; this finding is explained if the incipient ⁺CH₂CH₂CH₃ ion isomerizes to CH₃CH⁺CH₃ prior to proton abstraction. In contrast, the isomeric CH₂?N⁺(R¹)CH(CH₃)₂ species undergo specific β-hydrogen transfer because the developing CH₃CH⁺CH₃ cation is stable with respect to rearrangements involving a 1,2-H shift.