Formation of C7H7(+) from benzyl chloride and chlorotoluene molecular ions: a theoretical study

The potential energy surface (PES) for the formation of C7H7(+) from benzyl chloride and chlorotoluene ions was obtained by quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. On the basis of the PES, the RRKM model calculations were carried out to predict the rate constants of the dissociations of the molecular ions of o-, m-, and p-chlorotoluene, all of which agreed well with previous experimental results. The kinetic analysis showed that the benzylium ion was the predominant product in the dissociations of the four isomeric molecular ions, below the thresholds of the formation of tolylium ions.     

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.     

[C7H7]+ and [C6H5]+ fragment ions produced from methylphenol isomers by electron impact

Appearance energies for [C₇H₇]⁺ and [C₆H₅]⁺ fragment ions obtained from methylphenol isomers were measured at the threshold using the electron impact technique. Different processes for the formation of the ions are suggested and discussed. Metastable peaks were detected and the kinetic energies released were determined. The results indicate that [C₇H₇]⁺ ions are formed from metbylpbenois with both benzyl and tropylium structures, whereas [C₆H₅]⁺ ions are formed with the phenyl structure at the detected thresholds. Kinetic energies released on fragmentation of reactive [ C₇H₇]⁺ and [C₆H₅]⁺ ions were used as a probe for the structure of the ions at 70 eV.     

Aryl cations: Searching for and assigning structures to [C7H5]+ isomers

The energetics and mass spectral characteristics of a number of [C₇H₅]⁺ ions have been examined. No compelling evidence could be found to show that the 2-cyclopropaphenyl cation was produced by loss of bromine from the ionized 2-bromo derivative. It was proposed that the ethynylcyclopentadienyl cation may be the global minimum on the [C₇H₅]⁺ hypersurface.     

Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy of Mg(+)(H2O)Ar(n) complexes: isomers in progressive microsolvation

Ion-molecule complexes of the form Mg(H2O)Ar(n)+ (n = 1-8) are produced by laser vaporization in a pulsed-nozzle cluster source. These complexes are mass-selected and studied with infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the O-H stretch region. The spectra are interpreted with the aid of ab initio calculations on the n = 1-5 complexes, including examination of various isomeric structures. The combined spectroscopic and theoretical studies reveal the presence of multiple isomeric structures at each cluster size, as the argon atoms assemble around the Mg(+)(H2O) unit. Distinct infrared resonances are measured for argon-on-metal, argon-on-OH and argon-on-two-OH isomers.     

The isomers of HF-HCN formed in helium nanodroplets: Infrared spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

Binary complexes containing hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen fluoride are formed in helium nanodroplets, and studied using high-resolution infrared laser spectroscopy. Rotationally resolved spectra are reported for the H-F and C-H stretches of the linear HCN-HF complex, a system that has been thoroughly studied in the gas phase. We report the high-resolution spectra of the higher energy, bent HF-HCN isomer, which is also formed in helium. Stark spectra are reported for both isomers, providing dipole moments of these complexes. The experimental results are compared with ab initio calculations, also reported here. Spectra are reported for several ternary complexes, including (HCN)2-HF, HCN-(HF)2, HF-(HCN)2, and HF-HCN-HF.     

Dissociation dynamics of halotoluene ions,production of tolyl,benzyl and tropylium ([C7H7]+)ions

The dissociation rates and energetics of the loss of halogen atoms from energy-selected halotoluene ions were investigated by photoelectron photoion coincidence (PEPICO) and collisional activation (CA) mass spectrometric experiments. Dissociation onsets, determined from the dissociation rates measured as a function of the internal energy of the parent ion, revealed the formation of three [C₇H₇]⁺ isomers, which were identified, on the basis of the CA data, as the tolyl, benzyl and tropylium ions. All of the ions investigated produced a mixture of isomeric ions. Only iodotoluene ions produced any tolyl product ions by a direct bond cleavage. The bromo- and chlorotoiuene ions produced mixtures of benzyl and tropyl ions. The observed two-component decay rates of the iodotoluene ions revealed the participation of a lower energy [C₇H₇I]^{+ ˙} isomer in the dissociation process. The identity of this isomer is not known but it probably does not have the cycloheptatriene ion structure because considerable kinetic energy was released in this dissociation.     

Infrared spectroscopy of gas phase C3H5+ : the allyl and 2-propenyl cations

C3H5+ cations are probed with infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the 800-3500 cm(-1) region using the method of rare gas tagging. The ions and their complexes with Ar or N2 are produced in a pulsed electric discharge supersonic expansion cluster source. Two structural isomers are characterized, namely, the allyl (CH2CHCH2+) and 2-propenyl (CH3CCH2+) cations. The infrared spectrum of the allyl cation confirms previous theoretical and condensed phase studies of the C(2nu) charge delocalized, resonance-stabilized structure. The 2-propenyl cation spectrum is consistent with a C(s) symmetry structure having a nearly linear CCC backbone and a hyperconjugatively stabilizing methyl group.     

Infrared absorption of C6H5SO2 detected with time-resolved Fourier-transform spectroscopy

C6H5SO2 radicals were produced upon irradiation of three flowing mixtures: C6H5SO2Cl in N2, C6H5Cl and SO2 in CO2, and C6H5Br and SO2 in CO2, with a KrF excimer laser at 248 nm. A step-scan Fourier-transform spectrometer coupled with a multipass absorption cell was employed to record the time-resolved infrared (IR) absorption spectra of reaction intermediates. Two transient bands with origins at 1087.7 and 1278.2 cm-1 are assigned to the SO2-symmetric and SO2-antisymmetric stretching modes, respectively, of C6H5SO2. Calculations with density-functional theory (B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ and B3P86/aug-cc-pVTZ) predict the geometry and vibrational wave numbers of C6H5SO2 and C6H5OSO. The vibrational wave numbers and IR intensities of C6H5SO2 agree satisfactorily with the observed new features. Rotational contours of IR spectra of C6H5SO2 simulated based on predicted molecular parameters agree satisfactorily with experimental results for both bands. The SO2-symmetric stretching band is dominated by a- and c-type rotational structures and the SO2-antisymmetric stretching band is dominated by a b-type rotational structure. When C6H5SO2Cl was used as a precursor of C6H5SO2, C6H5SO2Cl was slowly reproduced at the expense of C6H5SO2, indicating that the reaction Cl+C6H5SO2 takes place. When C6H5Br/SO2/CO2 was used as a precursor of C6H5SO2, features at 1186 and 1396 cm-1 ascribable to C6H5SO2Br were observed at a later period due to secondary reaction of C6H5SO2 with Br. Corresponding kinetics based on temporal profiles of observed IR absorption are discussed.     

1H and 13C NMR spectra of benzyl compounds

Proton and carbon-13 spectra of benzyl compounds of the general formula (C₆H₅CH₂)_nX with a large variety of X substituents have been measured. While a linear relationship between the CH₂ chemical shift and the substituent electronegativity was found both for ¹H and ¹³C, large deviations from linearity were observed for transition metals such as titanium and zirconium. These later results are correlated with the X-ray studies of the latter compounds.     

Infrared plus vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy of neutral and ionic ethanol monomers and clusters

A high sensitivity spectroscopy is employed to detect vibrational antiitions of ethanol neutrals and ions in a supersonic expansion. The infrared (IR) features located at 3682 and 3667 cm(-1) can be assigned to the OH stretch for the two neutral C(2)H(5)OH conformers, anti and gauche, respectively. Their overtone energies located at 7179 (anti) and 7141 (gauche) cm(-1) are also identified. The OH fundamental stretch for ethanol ions is redshifted around 210 cm(-1), while the CH stretch modes are unchanged for neutral and ionic C(2)H(5)OH at around 2900-3000 cm(-1). The charge on the ethanol ion is apparently localized on the oxygen atom. IR induced photodissociation spectroscopy is applied to the study of neutral and protonated ethanol clusters. Neutral and protonated ethanol cluster vibrations are observed. The CH modes are not perturbed by the clustering process. Neutral clusters display only hydrogen bonded OH features, while the protonated ionic clusters display both hydrogen bonded and non-hydrogen-bonded features. These spectroscopic results are analyzed to obtain qualitative structural information on neutral and ionic ethanol clusters.     

The identification of vicinally substituted cyclohexane isomers in their mixtures by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy

The radical addition reactions of organobromine compounds, XBr (X = CH2COOMe, PhCH2, CHBr2 and CCl3) with cyclohexene afforded mixtures of cis/trans isomer pairs of 1-X-2-Br-cyclohexanes. In addition to benzyl benzoyloxy derivatives are formed also, when benzoyl peroxide is used as an initiator. Owing to the great difficulties in separating these cis/trans isomer pairs, they are identified directly in their mixtures by NMR spectroscopy. In addition to one-dimensional (ID) 1H, proton decoupled 13C and DEPT-135, also two-dimensional (2D) 13C-13C INADEQUATE as well as 1H-13C HMQC experiments have been used in assigning the signals of each compound in their mixtures. The identification of each isomer was based on comparison of experimental 3J(H,H) coupling constants with theoretical ones based on the well-known Karplus type relationship. The more stable conformation for each isomer was estimated using the semiempirical AM1 molecular orbital method. The calculations support the isomer pair elucidations.     

Electronic transitions of protonated benzene and fulvene, and of C6H7 isomers in neon matrices

Electronic transitions of protonated benzene (A??(1)B(2)←X??(1)A(1), origin at 325 nm) and α-protonated fulvene (A??(1)A'←X??(1)A', at 335 nm) trapped in 6 K neon matrices have been detected. The cations were produced from several different precursors, mass-selected, and co-deposited with neon. After neutralization of the cations, the electronic transitions of cyclohexadienyl (onsets at 549 and 310 nm) and α-hydrogenated fulvene (532 and 326 nm) radicals were identified. Upon excitation of cyclohexadienyl to the B??(2)B(1) state, photoisomerization to an open-chain structure and α-hydrogenated fulvene was observed.     

[C7H7] radicals studied by neutralization reionization mass spectrometry; the ortho-tolyl to benzyl radical rearrangement

The collision-induced dissociation characteristics of the benzyl, tropyl and tolyl cations which serve to identify these [C₇H₇]⁺ isomers (the m/z 74–77 relative abundances) were not preserved in their neutralization-reionization (NR) mass spectra. However, analyses of mixtures of the [C₇H₇]⁺ isomers made by comparison of NR mass spectra gave similar results to those obtained from collisional activation (CA) mass spectra. The radicals produced by electron transfer from Xe to tolyl cations were not observed to rearrange to benzyl radicals on the time-scale of the NR experiment, a result in conflict with other gas-phase studies.     

C3H4: Theoretical study of structures and stabilities of isomers

The various isomers including stable structures, carbenes, and diradicals on the C₃H₄ surface have been investigated. The two carbenes propenylidene and cyclopropylidene have been found to have singlet ground states. Vinylmethylene is predicted to have a triplet ground state with a planar diradical type of structure. The syn and anti forms of this state are degenerate. This is in agreement with the observation of two triplet states in the electron spin resonance (ESR ) spectra. The π electrons are found to be delocalized over the three carbons. The singlet diradical structures are found to be more stable than the carbene structures, which retain the CH₂ (DOUBLE BOND) CH allylic structures. The orbital compositions of the frontier orbitals of all systems have been determined to examine the nature of these orbitals. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

C6H4 valence bond isomers: a reactive bicyclopropenylidene

[reaction: see text] The simple bicyclopropenylidene derivative 21b, stabilized by fusion into naphthalene, results from reaction of dimesitylcyclopropenone 20b with the 1-trimethylsilyl-1H-cyclopropa[b]naphthalenyl anion. Although unstable in air, the molecule survives ambient conditions long enough for separation and mass spectral characterization. Aerial oxidation of 21b leads to 2,3-dimesitylanthracene-1,4-dione 22b whose X-ray crystal structure has been determined. While diphenylcyclopropenone 20a does not give identifiable products, the di-tert-butyl analogue 20c gives quinone 22c but in lower yield.     

Infrared plus vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy of neutral and ionic methanol monomers and clusters: new experimental results

We present new observations of the infrared (IR) spectrum of neutral methanol and neutral and protonated methanol clusters employing IR plus vacuum ultraviolet (vuv) spectroscopic techniques. The tunable IR light covers the energy ranges of 2500-4500 cm(-1) and 5000-7500 cm(-1). The CH and OH fundamental stretch modes, the OH overtone mode, and combination bands are identified in the vibrational spectrum of supersonic expansion cooled methanol (2500-7500 cm(-1)). Cluster size selected IR plus vuv nonresonant infrared ion-dip infrared spectra of neutral methanol clusters, (CH(3)OH)(n) (n=2,[ellipsis (horizontal)],8), demonstrate that the methanol dimer has free and bonded OH stretch features, while clusters larger than the dimer display only hydrogen bonded OH stretch features. CH stretch mode spectra do not change with cluster size. These results suggest that all clusters larger than the dimer have a cyclic structure with OH groups involved in hydrogen bonding. CH groups are apparently not part of this cyclic binding network. Studies of protonated methanol cluster ions (CH(3)OH)(n)H(+) n=1,[ellipsis (horizontal)],7 are performed by size selected vuv plus IR photodissociation spectroscopy in the OH and CH stretch regions. Energies of the free and hydrogen bonded OH stretches exhibit blueshifts with increasing n, and these two modes converge to approximately 3670 and 3400 cm(-1) at cluster size n=7, respectively.     

Identification and chemistry of C4H3 and C4H5 isomers in fuel-rich flames

Quantitative identification of isomers of hydrocarbon radicals in flames is critical to understanding soot formation. Isomers of C4H3 and C4H5 in flames fueled by allene, propyne, cyclopentene, or benzene are identified by comparison of the observed photoionization efficiencies with theoretical simulations based on calculated ionization energies and Franck-Condon factors. The experiments combine molecular-beam mass spectrometry (MBMS) with photoionization by tunable vacuum-ultraviolet synchrotron radiation. The theoretical simulations employ the rovibrational properties obtained with B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) density functional theory and electronic energies obtained from QCISD(T) ab initio calculations extrapolated to the complete basis set limit. For C4H3, the comparisons reveal the presence of the resonantly stabilized CH2CCCH isomer (i-C4H3). For C4H5, contributions from the CH2CHCCH2 (i-C4H5) and some combination of the CH3CCCH2 and CH3CHCCH isomers are evident. Quantitative concentration estimates for these species are made for allene, cyclopentene, and benzene flames. Because of low Franck-Condon factors, sensitivity to n-isomers of both C4H3 and C4H5 is limited. Adiabatic ionization energies, as obtained from fits of the theoretical predictions to the experimental photoionization efficiency curves, are within the error bars of the QCISD(T) calculations. For i-C4H3 and i-C4H5, these fitted adiabatic ionization energies are (8.06 +/- 0.05) eV and (7.60 +/- 0.05) eV, respectively. The good agreement between the fitted and theoretical ionization thresholds suggests that the corresponding theoretically predicted radical heats of formation (119.1, 76.3, 78.7, and 79.1 kcal/mol at 0 K for i-C4H3, i-C4H5, CH3CCCH2, and CH3CHCCH, respectively) are also quite accurate.     

C3H4: Density functional study of interconversion of isomers

The B3LYP density functional has been used to calculate the reaction paths for the interconversion of the three stable isomers of C₃H₄, namely, propyne, allene, and cyclopropene, and the results compared with experimental data. It is found that the trans nonplanar isomer of vinylmethylene plays a central role in the interconversions. Other thermochemical parameters, like the entropies of reaction and activation, have also been calculated. The rate constants of the various competing reactions have been calculated using the Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus theory. Kinetic isotope effects for the reactions have also been investigated to gain an insight into their mechanisms. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2003