Laboratory investigations of negative ion molecule reactions of formic and acetic acids: implications for atmospheric measurements by ion-molecule reaction mass spectrometry

Laboratory measurements of gas-phase ion-molecule reactions of several negative ion species with formic and acetic acid have been carried out. A flow reactor operating at a temperature of 293 ± 3 K and total gas pressures of either 3 or 9 hPa was used. The negative reagent ion species investigated included OH⁻, O₂⁻, O₃⁻, CO₄⁻, CO₃⁻, CO₃⁻H₂O, HCO₃⁻H₂O, NO₃⁻, NO₃⁻H₂O, NO₂⁻, and NO₂⁻H₂O. The reactions were found to proceed either via proton transfer or clustering. Our measurements of ion-molecule reactions of negative ions with gaseous formic and acetic acids provide a firm base for quantitative detection of these acidic trace gases in the atmosphere by negative ion ion-molecule reaction mass spectrometry.     

Influence de certains ions inorganiques, de l'éthanol et du peroxyde d'hydrogène sur la photominéralisation du β-naphtol en présence de TiO2

TiO₂ photocatalytic mineralization of β-naphthol: influence of some inorganic ions, ethanol, and hydrogen peroxide. In this work, the photocatalytic oxidation of β-naphthol in aqueous suspensions of TiO₂ was investigated at room temperature, by following the formation of CO₂. The disappearance of β-naphthol fits a Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model. The activation energy for the degradation reaction of β-naphthol is estimated at 10.2 kJ/mol. The effects of some additives such as ethanol, H₂O₂, and inorganic ions (Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, HCO₃⁻, NO₃⁻, Fe³⁺, Cu^2+, and Cr³⁺) on the photomineralization of β-naphthol were examined. The inhibition of the anions for this reaction was in the order : NO₃⁻ < HCO₃⁻ < SO₄²⁻ < Cl⁻. This can be due to a partial blockage of catalyst active sites by these ions or their reaction with an oxidizing radical such as OH. The most photoactive systems for β-naphthol degradation were found in the presence of ferric ions, while the addition of Cr³⁺ strongly inhibited the photocatalytic decomposition of β-naphthol.     

Specific Interaction Between Negative Atmospheric Ions and Organic Compounds in Atmospheric Pressure Corona Discharge Ionization Mass Spectrometry

The interaction between negative atmospheric ions and various types of organic compounds were investigated using atmospheric pressure corona discharge ionization (APCDI) mass spectrometry. Atmospheric negative ions such as O₂^–, HCO₃^–, COO^–(COOH), NO₂^–, NO₃^–, and NO₃^–(HNO₃) having different proton affinities served as the reactant ions for analyte ionization in APCDI in negative-ion mode. The individual atmospheric ions specifically ionized aliphatic and aromatic compounds with various functional groups as atmospheric ion adducts and deprotonated analytes. The formation of the atmospheric ion adducts under certain discharge conditions is most likely attributable to the affinity between the analyte and atmospheric ion and the concentration of the atmospheric ion produced under these conditions. The deprotonated analytes, in contrast, were generated from the adducts of the atmospheric ions with higher proton affinity attributable to efficient proton abstraction from the analyte by the atmospheric ion.     

Continuous Determination of Trace Amounts of Humic Acid in Natural Water by Chemiluminescence Method

A chemiluminescence (CL) method for the determination of humic acid (HA) based on the oxidation of HA with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of formaldehyde in alkaline solution is described. This method is sensitive and selective for the determination of HA in natural water. HA produces strong CL in the oxidation of HA with MnO₄⁻, Br₂, ClO⁻, and Cr₂O₇²⁻, and the H₂O₂. HA-H₂O₂-HCHO system is suitable for the determination of HA because of its high sensitivity and high selectivity. The detection limit was 50 ppb and relative standard deviation for five measurements of 0.5 ppm (w/w) HA was 1.8%. Cations such as Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe3⁺ and anions such as PO₄³⁻, NO₃⁻, CO₃²⁻, SO₄²⁻, Cl⁻, and Y⁻ (EDTA-Na) did not interfere with the determination of HA. Addition of Mn(II) increased the CL intensity. The concentration of HA in natural water determined with this method is in good agreement with that determined by fluorometric analysis.     

Reactions of small negative ions with O2(a Δg) and O2(X Σg)

The rate constants and product ion branching ratios were measured for the reactions of various small negative ions with O₂(X ³Σ_g⁻) and O₂(a ¹Δ_g) in a selected ion flow tube (SIFT). Only NH₂⁻ and CH₃O⁻ were found to react with O₂(X) and both reactions were slow. CH₃O⁻ reacted by hydride transfer, both with and without electron detachment. NH₂⁻ formed both OH⁻, as observed previously, and O₂⁻, the latter via endothermic charge transfer. A temperature study revealed a negative temperature dependence for the former channel and Arrhenius behavior for the endothermic channel, resulting in an overall rate constant with a minimum at 500 K. SF₆⁻, SF₄⁻, SO₃⁻ and CO₃⁻ were found to react with O₂(a ¹Δ_g) with rate constants less than 10⁻¹¹ cm³ s⁻¹. NH₂⁻ reacted rapidly with O₂(a ¹Δ_g) by charge transfer. The reactions of HO₂⁻ and SO₂⁻ proceeded moderately with competition between Penning detachment and charge transfer. SO₂⁻ produced a SO₄⁻ cluster product in 2% of reactions and HO₂⁻ produced O₃⁻ in 13% of the reactions. CH₃O⁻ proceeded essentially at the collision rate by hydride transfer, again both with and without electron detachment. These results show that charge transfer to O₂(a ¹Δ_g) occurs readily if the there are no restrictions on the ion beyond the reaction thermodynamics. The SO₂⁻ and HO₂⁻ reactions with O₂(a) are the only known reactions involving Penning detachment besides the reaction with O₂⁻ studied previously [R.S. Berry, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 7 (2005) 289–290].     

N,N,N′,N′-tetrabutylmalonamide as a new extractant for extraction of nitric acid and uranium(VI) in toluene

N,N,N,N-tetrabutylmalonamide (TBMA) was synthesized and used for extraction of uranyl(II) ion from nitric acid media in toluene. The effects of nitric acid concentration, extractant concentration, temperature and salting-out agent (LiNO₃) on distribution coefficients of uranyl(II) ion have been studied. The extraction of nitric acid is also studied. The main adduct of TBMA and HNO₃ is HNO₃. TBMA in 1.0 mol/l nitric acid solution. The 1:2:3 complex of uranyl(II) ion, nitrate ion and TBMA as extracted species is further confirmed by IR spectra of the extraction of uranyl(II) ion with TBMA, and found that the NO ₃ ^– in the extraction species UO₂(NO₃)₂·3TBMA did not participate in coordination of uranyl(II) ion. The values of thermodynamic parameters have also been calculated.     

Reversed phase extraction chromatography using solutions of nitric acid as eluants

Approximately 40 ions have been chromatographed on thin layers of silica gel impregnated with Alamine 336-S, Alamine 336-S oxide, tri-n-octylarsine oxide, tri-n-octylphosphine oxide or tri-n-butyl phosphate, and on non-impregnated silica gel. Solutions of 0.2–15 N HNO₃ are used as eluants. R_F spectra and a number of separations are reported. The ions are classified into four groups according to their chromatographic behaviour, which is explained on the basis of anion exchange, solvation, hydrolysis and interaction with the support.Data on the extraction of HNO₃ and the co-extraction of water are reported. The behaviour of Alamine oxide and tri-n-octylarsine oxide parallels that of high-molecular-weight amines: extraction proceeds through anion exchange. Nitric acid taken up in excess of the stoichiometric amount is mainly present in the organic phase as part of the ion [O₂NO…HONO₂]⁻. On the other hand, with tri-n-octyl-phosphine oxide (TOPO) and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP), extraction proceeds through solvation; TOPO·HNO₃, TOPO·2HNO₃ and TBP·HNO₃ are the species present in the organic extracts.     

Influence of weakly bound adduct ions on breath trace gas analysis by selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS)

This paper describes how weakly bound adduct ions form when the precursor ions used in selected ion flow mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS, analyses, viz. H₃O⁺, NO⁺ and O₂⁺, associate with the major components of air and exhaled breath, N₂, O₂ and CO₂. These adduct ions, which include H₃O⁺N₂, H₃O⁺CO₂, NO⁺CO₂, O₂⁺O₂ and O₂⁺CO₂, are clearly seen when dry air containing 5% CO₂ (typical of that in exhaled breath) is analysed using SIFT-MS. These adduct ions must not be misinterpreted as characteristic product ions of trace gases; if so, serious analytical errors can result. However, when exhaled breath is analysed these adduct ions are partly removed by ligand switching reactions with the abundant water molecules and the problems they represent are alleviated. But the small fractions of the adduct ions that remain in the SIFT-MS spectra, and especially when they are isobaric with genuine characteristic product ion of breath trace gases, can result in erroneous quantifications; such is the case for H₃O⁺N₂ interfering with breath ethanol analysis and H₃O⁺CO₂ with breath acetaldehyde analysis. However, these difficulties can be overcome when the isobaric adduct ions are properly recognised and excluded from the analyses; then these two important compounds can be properly quantified in breath. The presence of O₂⁺CO₂ in the product ion spectra interferes with the analysis of CS₂ present at low levels in exhaled breath. It is likely that similar problems will occur as other trace compounds are detected in exhaled breath when consideration will have to be given to the possibility of overlapping between their characteristic product ions and ions produced by hitherto unknown reactions. Similar problems are evident in other systems; for example, H₃O⁺CH₄ adduct ions are observed in both SIFT-MS analyses of methane rich mixtures like biologically generated waste gases and in model planetary atmospheres.     

A Spectroscopic Study of the Dissolution of Cesium Phosphomolybdate and Zirconium Molybdate by Ammonium Carbamate

Through a combination of Raman spectroscopy, multi-element NMR spectroscopy and chemical analysis, the differences between the action of carbonate and carbamate as agents for dissolving Cs₃PMo₁₂O₄₀⋅xH₂O(s) (CPM) and ZrMO₂O₇(OH)₂(H₂O)₂(s) (ZM) have been elucidated. Alkaline H₂NCO⁻₂/HCO₃⁻/CO₃²⁻ solutions, derived from the dissolution of ammonium carbamate (NH₄H₂NCO₂; AC), dissolve CPM by base hydrolysis of the PMo₁₂O₄₀³⁻ Keggin anion, ultimately forming [MoO₄]²⁻ and PO₄³⁻ when excess base is present. If the initial concentration of H₂NCO₂⁻/HCO₃⁻/ CO₃²⁻ is lowered, base hydrolysis is incomplete and the dissolved species include [Mo₇O₂₄]⁶⁻ and [P₂Mo₅O₂₃]⁶⁻, and undissolved solid Cs₃PMo₁₂O₄₀, Cs_xNH_7−xPMo₁₁O₃₉, and Cs_xNH_6−xMo₇O₂₄ remain. Na₂CO₃ solutions dissolve Cs₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ through a similar mechanism, but the dissolution rate is much lower. We attribute this difference to the different buffering effects of H₂NCO₂⁻/HCO₃⁻/CO₃²⁻ and CO₃²⁻/HCO₃⁻ solutions, and the instability of carbamic acid, the protonated form of H₂NCO₂⁻ (which rapidly decomposes into NH₃ and CO₂). The ability of NH₃ to produce NH₄⁺ and OH⁻, together with the evolution of CO₂ gas, drive the reaction forward. Low temperature measurements under conditions where pure H₂NCO₂⁻ is kinetically stable, allowed the rates of dissolution of CPM by H₂NCO₂⁻ and CO₃²⁻ to be compared directly, confirming the faster dissolution by H₂NCO₂⁻. Compared to CPM, the dissolution of ZM by H₂NCO₂⁻/HCO₃⁻/CO₃²⁻ is a much slower process and is driven by the formation of soluble Zr^IV-carbonate complexes and MoO₄²⁻. The driving force for the dissolution of ZM is the superior complexing ability of carbonate over carbamate; consequently solutions containing a higher carbonate concentration dissolve ZM faster.     

Mechanisms for negative reactant ion formation in an atmospheric pressure corona discharge

In an effort to better understand the formation of negative reactant ions in air produced by an atmospheric pressure corona discharge source, the neutral vapors generated by the corona were introduced in varying amounts into the ionization region of an ion mobility spectrometer/mass spectrometer containing a ⁶³Ni ionization source. With no discharge gas the predominant ions were O₂ ⁻, however, upon the introduction of low levels of discharge gas the NO₂ ⁻ ion quickly became the dominant species. As the amount of discharge gas increased the appearance of CO₃ ⁻ was observed followed by the appearance of NO₃ ⁻. At very high levels, NO₃ ⁻ species became effectively the only ion present and appeared as two peaks in the IMS spectrum, NO₃ ⁻ and the NO₃ ⁻·HNO₃ adduct, with separate mobilities. Since explosive compounds typically ionize in the presence of negative reactant ions, the ionization of an explosive, RDX, was examined in order to investigate the ionization properties with these three primary ions. It was found that RDX forms a strong adduct with both NO₂ ⁻ and NO₃ ⁻ with reduced mobility values of 1.49 and 1.44 cm²V⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. No adduct was observed for RDX with CO₃ ⁻ although this adduct has been observed with a corona discharge mass spectrometer. It is believed that this adduct, although formed, does not have a sufficiently long lifetime (greater than 10 ms) to be observed in an ion mobility spectrometer.     

Thermal decomposition of trifluoromethoxycarbonyl peroxy nitrate,CF3OC(O)O2NO2

The thermal decomposition of trifluoromethoxycarbonyl peroxy nitrate, CF₃OC(O)O₂NO₂, has been studied between 278 and 306 K at 270 mbar total pressure using He as a diluent gas. The pressure dependence of the reaction was also studied at 292 K between 1.2 and 270 mbar total pressure. The rate constant reaches its high‐pressure limit at 70 mbar. The first step of the decomposition leads to CF₃OC(O)O₂ and NO₂ formation, that is, CF₃OC(O)O₂NO₂ + M ? CF₃OC(O)O₂ + NO₂ + M (k₁, k_?1). Reaction (?1) was prevented by adding an excess of NO that reacts with the peroxy radical intermediate and leads to carbonyl fluoride (CF₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and small quantities of CF₃OC(O)O₂C(O)OCF₃. The kinetics of reaction (1) was determined by following the loss of CF₃OC(O)O₂NO₂ via IR spectroscopy. The temperature dependence of the decomposition follows the equation k₁(T) = 1.0 × 10¹⁶ e^{?((111±3)/(RT))} for the exponential term expressed in kJ mol^?1. The values obtained for the kinetic parameters such as k₁ at 298 K, the activation energy (E_a), and the preexponential factor (A) are compared with literature data for other acyl peroxy nitrates. The atmospheric thermal stability of CF₃OC(O)O₂NO₂ and its dependence with altitude is discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 40: 831–838, 2008     

Nitrogen isotope exchange between nitric oxide and nitric acid

The rate of nitrogen isotope exchange between NO and HNO₃ has been measured as a function of nitric acid concentration of 1.5–4M·1^–1. The exchange rate law is shown to beR=k[HNO₃]²[N₂O₃] and the measured activation energy isE=67.78kJ ·M^–1 (16.2 kcal·M^–1). It is concluded that N₂O₃ participates in¹⁵N/¹⁴N exchange between NO and HNO₃ at nitric acid concentrations higher than 1.5M·1^–1.     

Optimization of sample preparation using statistical methods: spectrophotometric determination of Fe and Co in pharmaceutical samples

This work presents alternatives for Fe and Co determination in pharmaceutical samples using flow analysis. The first procedure describes Fe extraction in mineral/vitamin complexes. The best conditions were reached when HNO₃ concentration and volume, sample mass and shaking time were 1.0 mol l⁻¹, 5 ml, 25 mg and 10 min. Three mineral/vitamin complexes of known concentrations (ranging from 12 to 32 g kg⁻¹) were analyzed (10 authentic replicates for each) and recoveries of around 100% were obtained when compared with a well-established mineralization procedure employing concentrated HNO₃ and H₂O₂ (30% w/v). The second work part shows the employment of Tiron and H₂O₂ reaction for Co determination in a drug for inappetence. The results (352±18.7 mg kg⁻¹) were compared with those using Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry—ETAAS (346±15.7 mg kg⁻¹). The proposed method showed detection and quantification limits of 0.20 and 0.70 μg l⁻¹, respectively. Both procedures for Fe and Co determination presented time, reagent and effort reduction.     

Chemistry of NOx and HNO3 Molecules with Gas-Phase Hydrated O.− and OH− Ions

The gas-phase reactions of O ^{. −}(H₂O)_n and OH⁻(H₂O)_n, n=20–38, with nitrogen-containing atmospherically relevant molecules, namely NO_x and HNO₃, are studied by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry and theoretically with the use of DFT calculations. Hydrated O ^{. −} anions oxidize NO ^. and NO₂ ^. to NO₂⁻ and NO₃⁻ through a strongly exothermic reaction with enthalpy of −263±47 kJ mol⁻¹ and −286±42 kJ mol⁻¹, indicating a covalent bond formation. Comparison of the rate coefficients with collision models shows that the reactions are kinetically slow with 3.3 and 6.5 % collision efficiency. Reactions between hydrated OH⁻ anions and nitric oxides were not observed in the present experiment and are most likely thermodynamically hindered. In contrast, both hydrated anions are reactive toward HNO₃ through proton transfer from nitric acid, yielding hydrated NO₃⁻. Although HNO₃ is efficiently picked-up by the water clusters, forming (HNO₃)_0–2(H₂O)_mNO₃⁻ clusters, the overall kinetics of nitrate formation are slow and correspond to an efficiency below 10 %. Combination of the measured reaction thermochemistry with literature values in thermochemical cycles yields ΔH_f(O⁻(aq.))=48±42 kJ mol⁻¹ and ΔH_f(NO₂⁻(aq.))=−125±63 kJ mol⁻¹.     

The effect of carbonyl complexation on highly exothermic vanadium oxidation reactions

The effects of CO complexation on highly exothermic vanadium oxidation reactions is evaluated. We study the chemiluminescent (CL) reaction products formed when vanadium vapor entrained in Ar or CO is oxidized by O₃ or NO₂. The multiple collision V+Ar+O₃→VO^*(C ⁴Σ⁻, ⁴Φ, ²X)+Ar+O₂ reactive encounter yields two previously unreported VO excited states, whereas the V+Ar+NO₂→VO^*+Ar+NO reactive encounter populates states up to and including VO^* C ⁴Σ⁻. The multiple collision V+nCO+O₃ reactive encounter would appear to form a VOCO excited state complex, emitting in the region 420–560 nm, via the formation and oxidation of V(CO)₂ viz. V(CO)₂+O₃→VOCO^*+CO+O₂ and a relaxed VO excited state emitter via V+nCO+O₃→VO^*+nCO+O₂ where the VO excited state excitation is mediated by V–CO complexation. In complement, the much less exothermic V–NO₂ encounter displays an emission which, in concert with previous studies of CO complexation, suggests the formation of a VO(CO)₂ excited state complex viz. V(CO)₂+NO₂→VO(CO)₂^*+NO. The experiments characterizing CL are complemented by comparative laser-induced fluorescence studies of the VO X ⁴Σ⁻–CO and Ar interactions and their influence on the VO C ⁴Σ⁻–X ⁴Σ⁻ laser-induced excitation spectrum. These studies, in conjunction with further attempts to excite LIF in the 420–560 nm region, suggest that the observed complex emissions result primarily from VO excited state interactions. Complementary time-of-flight mass spectroscopy of vanadium and vanadium-oxide–carbonyl complex formation demonstrates the formation of V(CO), V(CO)₂, V₂(CO), and VOCO, the latter three of which demonstrate clear metastable-ion dissociation peaks for the processes VOCO⁺→V⁺+CO₂, V(CO)₂⁺→V⁺+2CO, and V₂(CO)⁺→V₂⁺+CO, suggesting that these vanadium complexes when formed in a reaction-based environment may be photodissociated with light in the visible and ultraviolet regions.     

Kinetics of the oxidation of nitrous acid by tetrachloroaurate(III) inHCl

Summary The kinetics of the reaction between nitrous acid and gold(III) in an HCl medium was studied. The reaction was first order with respect to [Au^III] and [HNO₂]·H⁺ and Cl^- ions inhibit the rate and alkali metal ions have specific effects on the rate. The reaction appears to involve different gold(III) species, viz. AuCl _inf4 ^sup– , AuCl₃(OH₂) and AuCl₃(OH)^–, which undergo a two-equivalent reduction to gold(I) leading to the formation of NO _inf2 ^sup&#x002B; which under-goes rapid hydrolysis to give nitric acid.     

Ion-etching of discharge-produced tetrafluoroethylene film with hydrogen,oxygen and noble gases. A mass spectrometric analysis

Freshly deposited discharge-produced tetrafluoroethylene films were ion-etched with either helium, neon, argon, oxygen or hydrogen. The ions C⁺, CF⁺, CF₂⁺ and CF₃⁺ comprised most of the positive ions in rare gas discharges, with CF⁺ always dominant. Sputtered fragments containing two or more carbon atoms were rare. These findings are compatible with the ion-etching of a highly crosslinked polymer film. Residual background gases were contributed to 1–3% of the total ion flux even though their actual partial pressures were very low. The concentration of neutral species corresponding to the ions observed was less than one part in ten thousand of the etching gas. With pure hydrogen, very little etching occurred and the degree of ionization relative to the rare gases was low. The principal reaction was the abstraction of fluorine from the polymer to give hydrogen fluoride and a more highly crosslinked film. Oxygen containing discharges produced the largest total yield of all the systems studied and the most evidence of chemical attack on the polymer. The ions observed were CO⁺, CO₂⁺, COF⁺, COF₂⁺ as well as C⁺, CF⁺, CF₂⁺ and CF₃⁺. Thus oxygen etches the polymer by preferentially attacking the carbon-carbon framework.     

Theoretical study of the reaction of CF3O radicals with CO

The potential energy surface for the reaction of the CF₃O radicals with CO was investigated. The geometries and vibrational frequencies of the reactants, transition states, intermediates, and products were calculated at the UB3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p), UB3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p) and UMP2/6-311+G(2d,p) levels of theory. The energies were improved by using the G2M(CC2) and G3B3 methods. The calculation suggests the reaction proceeds via either the fluorine abstraction of CF₃O by CO to produce FCO + CF₂O with a high energy barrier or the barrierless association of the reactants to form the trans-CF₃OCO intermediate. The trans-CF₃OCO is predicted to undergo subsequent isomerization to cis-CF₃OCO or dissociate directly to the products FCO + CF₂O and CF₃ + CO₂. The collisional stabilization of trans-CF₃OCO is dominant at room temperature, while trans-CF₃OCO isomerizing to cis-CF₃OCO followed by dissociating to CF₃ + CO₂ is accessible when temperature rises. The reason for only trans-CF₃OCO without cis-CF₃OCO observable in Ashen’s experiment [S.V. Ahsen, J. Hufen, H. Willner, J.S. Francisco, Chem. Eur. J. 8 (2002) 1189] is cis-CF₃OCO can be produced only via the isomerization of trans-CF₃OCO, and its yield is inappreciable at a low experimental temperature. The enthalpies of formation for the two conformations of CF₃OCO have been deduced: (trans-CF₃OCO) = −196.25 kcal mol⁻¹, (trans-CF₃OCO) = −197.46 kcal mol⁻¹, (cis-CF₃OCO) = −193.64 kcal mol⁻¹, and (cis-CF₃OCO) = −194.90 kcal mol⁻¹.     

Dissolution Mechanism of UO2 in Nitric Acid Solution by Photochemical Reaction

Photodissolution tests of UO₂ sintered pellets were carried out in 3M nitric acid solution and at about 50 °C under UV irradiation. The light source was a Hg-lamp emitting a light of 254nm wavelength. In the products, chemicals such as H₂O₂ and NO₂ ^– ion were detected during photodissolution of the UO₂ sintered pellets. Based on this result, a new dissolution mechanism of UO₂ in nitric acid solution by photochemical reaction was suggested in this study.     

Cluster-assisted decomposition reactions of the molecular anions of SF6 and C7F14

The cluster ions formed by the attachment of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and methanol to the molecular negative ions of C₇F₁₄ and SF₆ have been studied by a pulsed e-beam high pressure mass spectrometer (PHPMS) and by an atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer (APIMS). The free energy change (ΔG°) for the clustering equilibria reaction, M⁻ + S M⁻S, at 35 °C are found to be −7.7 and −7.s kcal/mol for S = DMSO and M⁻ = C₇F⁻₁₄ and SF⁻₆, respectively, and −6.4 and −4.5 kcal/mol for S = methanol and M⁻ = C₇F⁻₁₄ and SF⁻₆, respectively. While the cluster ions formed by DMSO are found to be stable against side reactions, those formed by methanol undergo decomposition processes in which the central core ion is fragmented. At 35 °C, the rate law for the decomposition of the SF⁻₆ (CH₃OH)₁ ion is second-order, involving the M⁻ (CH₃OH)₁ cluster ion and another methanol molecule. While the C₇F⁻₁₄(CH₃OH)₁ ion also decomposes through this second-order process, a competing unimolecular mechanism is also operative at 35 °C. With increases in the PHPMS ion source temperature to 150 °C, the unimolecular decomposition process becomes progressively dominant for both of the M⁻(CH₃OH)₁ cluster ions of C₇F₁₄ and SF₆. Methanol cluster ions of the type M⁻S₂ are not observed under any of the conditions examined here. When methanol or water partial pressures of a few torr or higher are present in the buffer gas of the APIMS ion source, the decomposition reactions are very fast and only the fragment ions produced by these reactions are observed in the electron-capture (EC)-APIMS spectra of C₇F₁₄ and SF₆. Also, in the methanol-containing APIMS ion source, the course of the SF⁻₆ decomposition reaction is altered so that fragment ions of the type F⁻(S)_n dominate the EC-APIMS spectrum of SF₆ at all ion source temperatures. For C₇F₁₄, fragment ions of the type F⁻(S)_n become dominant at lower ion source temperatures. These previously unknown reactions are expected to be important in the analysis of perfluorinated compounds by mass spectrometric methods that utilize ionization by electron capture or negative chemical ionization. The nature of the fragment ions produced in these cluster-assisted reactions may also provide a new source of information concerning the structures of the molecular negative ions of SF₆ and C₇F₁₄.