Structure and formation of [C4H6N]+ ions: 1—Ion structures derived from aliphatic nitriles

Structures and formation of the [C₄H₆N]⁺ ions present in the mass spectra of eleven α-substituted and eleven α-unsubstituted nitriles have been investigated from collisional activation and metastable ion spectra. Collisional activation spectra lead to identification of six structures. The [C₄H₆N]⁺ ions from some branched compounds prove to be mixtures. This, as well as the identity of all metastable ion parameters and certain spectral data, shows that energy differences between all structures are small. This is corroborated by MINDO/3 calculations showing a spread from 724 to 891 kJ mol^?1 over the structures. Earlier proposals for two different [C₄H₆N]⁺ ion structures, based on the mass spectra of deuterium labelled compounds, appeared to be correct. A computer program to calculate the contribution of standard spectra in a measured spectrum has been developed.     

Structure and formation of gaseous [C4H5O]+ ions. IV—Ions derived from the cyclopropenium ion [C3H3]+

Characterization of [C₄H₅O]⁺ ions in the gas phase using their metastable ion and collisional activation spectra shows that the three isomeric ions HC?C? \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm + } $\end{document}H? OCH₃, CH₃O? \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm + } $\end{document}?C?CH₂ and ? OCH₃ related to the two stable [C₃H₃]⁺ cations [HC?C? CH₂]⁺ and are stable for ≥ 10^?5s. In contrast to the formation of cyclopropenium ions, it is found that the methoxy cyclopropenium ion is not generated from acyclic precursor molecules. The small but significant intensity differences found in the collisional activation spectra of [C₃H₃]⁺ ions generated from HC?C? CH₂I and HC?C? CH₂Cl possibly indicate the presence of [C₃H₃]⁺ ions of different structures.     

Propanoyl ion formation from metastable [C3H6O]+˙ ions

Collisionally activated spectra demonstrate that CH₃CH₂C?O⁺ rather than \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}${\rm CH}_{\rm 2} = {\rm CHCH = }\mathop {\rm O}\limits^{\rm + } {\rm H}$\end{document} is formed in the metastable losses of hydrogen from [C₃H₆O]^+˙ ions with the oxygen on the first carbon. This provides another example of formation of an acyl ion following ‘ketonization’ prior to metastable decomposition.     

Photodissociation and structures of [C6H4]+ ˙ ions generated from cyanobenzene and other precursors

Previous work on the electron impact induced loss of hydrogen cyanide from the radical cations of cyanobenzene has revealed that ring opening is important in the formation of the corresponding [C₆H₄]^{+ ˙} ions. Photodissociation experiments now show that these [C₆H₄]^{+ ˙} ions and those generated from 2-ethynylpyridine, 1,3-hexadiyn-6-nitrile and 1,2-diiodobenzene all photodissociate in the visible region to [C₄H₂]^{+ ˙}. The corresponding photodissociation spectra are all the same and have a maximum at about 370 nm, in agreement with spectra of ions with three conjugated double or triple bonds. Owing to the high reactivity, the low photodissociation rate and, possibly, the internal energy of the ions, the photodissociation kinetics are too complicated to be solved. The experiments nevertheless show that at least a major fraction of the [C₆H₄]^{+ ˙} ions has a ring-opened structure. This conclusion is supported by MNDO calculations, which indicate that the heats of formation of the possible acyclic structures are about 150 kJ mol^?1 lower than those of the o-, m- and p-benzyne structures.     

Photodissociation of gaseous [C4H5N]+˙ ions

The photodissociation of [C₄H₅N]⁺˙ ions generated by ionization of pyrrole (1), allyl cyanide (2), crotonitrile (3), cyclopropyl cyanide (4) and methacrylonitrile (5) has been studied using ion beam techniques. At least four different stable ion structures have been distinguished, which is in contrast to earlier CAD studies. In addition it has been shown that [C₂H₃N]⁺˙ fragment ions formed by dissociative ionization of the same precursors have structures which are distinct from that of ionized acetonitrile.     

The structures of [C4H4]+˙ ions by photodissociation in an ion cyclotron resonance spectrometer

The photodissociation of [C₄H₄]⁺˙ fragment ions at the ion cyclotron resonance time-scale competes with relaxation of the internal energy by infrared emission. As a result the fraction of photodissociating ions increases with light intensity. The experiments indicate that [C₄H₄]⁺˙ from benzene and 1,5-hexadiyne consists of a mixture of 60% vinyl acetylene ions, 10% butatriene ions and 30% cyclic ions. This confirms previous conclusions from studies of the ion-molecule reactions of [C₄H₄]⁺˙ with benzene.     

Structure and formation of gaseous [C3H4N]+ ions

gas phase has been established. This conclusion could be derived from a careful study of their collisional activation spectra, which show minor but characteristic differences. The ions studied were generated from various precursor ions in single or multiple fragmentation processes as well as via ion-molecule reactions. Their heats of formation vary from 925 to 1085 kJ mol^?1 according to MINDO/3 or from 925 to 1050 kJ mol^?1 according to MNDO calculations.     

Metastable ion studies. IV—thermochemistry and ion structures among fragmenting [C3H6]+· ions

Metastable ion peak shapes, dimensions and relative abundances have been measured for the three fragmentations [C₃H₆]⁺· → [C₃H₄]⁺· + H₂, [C₃H₆]⁺· → [C₃H₅]⁺ + H· and [C₃H₆]⁺· → [C₃H₃]⁺ + H₂ + H·. [C₃H₆]⁺· ions were derived from propene, cyclopropane, tetrahydrofuran, cyclohexanone, 2-methyl but-1-ene and cis-pent-2-ene. Activation energies for these fragmentations have been evaluated. Three daughter ion dissociations ([C₃H₅]⁺ → [C₃H₃]⁺ + H₂, [C₃H₅]⁺ → [C₃H₄]⁺· + H· and [C₃H₄]⁺· → [C₃H₃]⁺ + H·) have been similarly examined. Ion structures have been determined and the metastable energy releases have been correlated with the thermochemical data. It is concluded that the molecular ions of propene and cyclopropane become structurally indistinguishable prior to fragmentation and that differences in their metastable ion characteristics can be ascribed wholly to internal energy differences; the latter can be correlated with the photoelectron spectra of the isomers. The pathway for the consecutive fragmentation which generates the metastable ion peak (m/e 42 → m/e.39) has been shown to be It is likewise concluded that fragmentating [C₃H₆]⁺· ions generated from the various precursor molecules are also structurally indistinguishable and cannot be classified with either molecular ion of the isomeric C₃H₆ hydrocarbons.     

Structure and formation of gaseous [C4H5O]+ ions. III—Ions derived from unsaturated ethers

The abundant [C₄H₅O]⁺ (m/z 69) ions found in the 70 eV mass spectra of a series of acetylenic, allenylic and unsaturated cyclic ethers are shown to have the following structures: HC?C? \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm + } $\end{document}H? OCH₃ (e), H₂C?C?—OCH₃ (f), (g) and H? C?C? CH₂—O\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm + } $\end{document}H₂ (h). Of these, the cyclic ion g is the most stable: its ion enthalpy (≥ 165 kcal mol^?1) is close to that found for the acyclic C₃H₅\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm + } $\end{document}? O isomers identified in a previous study. Evidence that these four isomeric [C₄H₅O]⁺ ions are stable species with lifetimes ≥ 10^?5 s is obtained from their collisional activation spectra, the shape of the metastable peaks and the associated kinetic energy release values for the common loss of CO, thermochemical information and analysis of deuterium and carbon-13 labelled precursor molecules. It is further shown that loss of X? from ethers of the type X? C?C? CH₂OCH₃ involves isomerization into energy rich allenyl type ions [(X)HC?C?CHOCH₃]⁺˙ . These ions undergo loss of X? by simple bond cleavage, yielding, e type product ions, when the C? X bond strength is relatively low (X?I, Br). When X?Cl and especially CH₃ or H, X? is only lost after rearrangement yielding the cyclic product ion g. The mechanism for this cyclization reaction is related to that proposed in a previous study for the ester→ acid isomerization in the molecular ions of the esters of α, β-unsaturated carboxylic acids.     

The isomerization mechanism of alkylamines: Structure of [C2H6N]+ and [C3H8N]+ fragment ions

The MIKE spectra of amines RCH₂NH₂ containing more than five carbon atoms exhibit m/z 44 and m/z 58 peaks. The structures of these [C₂H₆N]⁺ and [C₃H₈N]⁺ ions have been established by collisional activation spectra. The results are in agreement with the fragmentation mechanisms previously proposed.     

Metastable [C4H8O]+˙ ions: Additional decompositions via the [2-butanone]+˙ ion

The losses of methyl and ethyl through the intermediacy of the [2-butanone]⁺˙ ion are shown to be the dominant metastable decomposition of 14 of 19 [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions examined. The ions that decompose via the [2-butanone]⁺˙ structure include ionized aldehydes, unsaturated and cyclic alcohols and enolic ions. [Cyclic ether]⁺˙ [cyclopropylmethanol]⁺˙ and [2-methyl-1-propen-1-ol]⁺˙ ions do not decompose through ionized 2-butanone. The rearrangements of various [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions the the 2-butanone ion were investigated by means of deuterium labeling. Those pathways involve up to eight steps. Ions with the oxygen on the end carbon rearrange to a common structure or mixture of structures. Those ions which ultimately rearrange to the [2-butanone]⁺˙ ion then undergo oxygen shifts from the terminal to the second and third carbons at about equal rates. However, this oxygen shift does not precede the losses of water and ethylene. Losses of water and ethylene were unimportant for ions with the oxygen initially on the second carbon. Ionized n-butanal and cyclobutanol, but not other [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions, undergo reversible hydrogen exchange between the oxygen and the terminal carbon. Rearrangement of ionized n-butanal to the [cyclobutanol]⁺˙ ion is postulated.     

On the heat of formation of [C6H4]+˙

The appearance energy of the [C₆H₄]^+˙ ion from benzonitrile has been measured, using an electron monochromator. The value observed at onset, 12.54±0.03 eV, leads to a heat of formation of 1304±3 kJ mol^?1. Possible reasons for widely divergent values reported previously are proposed.     

The decompositions of metastable [C4H8O]+˙ ions and the [C4H8O]+˙ potential surface

Collisionally activated decomposition (CA) spectra of [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions and the products of their metastable decompositions are used to refine a previously presented picture of the reactions of [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions. Metastable [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ isomers predominantly rearrange to the 2-butanone ion and decompose by loss of methyl and ethyl, although up to 38% of the methyl losses take place by other pathways to form \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm{CH}}_{\rm{2}} = {\rm{CHCH = }}\mathop {\rm{O}}\limits^{\rm{ + }} {\rm{H}}{\rm{.}} $\end{document} . The CA spectra of many of the [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions with the oxygen on the first carbon are very similar, consistent with those ions isomerizing largely to common structures before or after collision. However, several of these ions have unique CA spectra, so they must remain structurally distinct from the majority of the [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions below energies required for decomposition. The CA spectra of ions with the oxygen on the second carbon are distinct from those of ions with the oxygen on the first carbon, so there is limited interconversion of the non-decomposing forms of the two types of ions. A potential energy diagram for the reactions of metastable [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions is constructed from appearance energy measurements. As would be expected, the relative importances of most of the [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ isomerizations seem to be inversely related to the activation energies for those processes. Some parallels between the isomerizations of [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions and those of related ions are pointed out.     

Electron impact mass spectrometry of [C7H8N]+ and [C6H7]+ and [C6H7]+ fragment ions produced from o-toluidine and N-methylaniline

An energetic study of the production of [C₇H₈N]⁺ and [C₆H₇]⁺ fragment ions from o-toluidine and N-methylaniline is reported. The mechanisms for the formation of the ions are suggested. Metastable peaks associated with the formation and fragmentation of reactive [C₇H₈N]⁺ and [C₆H₇]⁺ ions were detected and kinetic energy released were determined. The results indicate that the [C₇H₈N]⁺ ion is formed at threshold from o-toluidine with an aminotropylium structure whereas for N-methylaniline the ion is formed with anN-phenylmethaniminium structure. [C₆H₇]⁺ ions are believed to be formed at threshold from the two precursors with a protonated benzene structure.     

Structure of [C3H5O]+ ions produced from unimolecular decomposition of several [C4H8O]+˙ metastable ions

It is demonstrated by means of collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) that [C₃H₅O]⁺ originating from metastable [C₄H₈O]^+˙ ions are either acylium [C₂H₅CO]⁺ (a) or hydroxycarbenium [CH₂CHCHOH]⁺ (b). Butanone gives exclusively a but 2-methyl-2-propen-1-ol, 2-buten-1-ol, 3-buten-1-ol, butanal and 2-methylpropanal lead to ion b. Both structures a and b are produced from 3-buten-2-ol. These results are discussed in conjunction with experimental and calculated (MINDO/3) thermodynamic data.     

1,2-Carbon shifts in [C4H8O]+˙ and [C5H10O]+˙ ions

Present results demonstrate that α,β-shifts of the functional group carbon strongly dominate β,α-methyl shifts in [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ and [C₅H₁₀O]⁺˙ ions, paralleling observations of others on methyl isobutyrate ions.     

Theoretical study in [C2H4–Tl]+ and [C2H2–Tl]+ complexes

We studied the attraction between [C₂H_n] and Tl(I) in the hypothetical [C₂H_n–Tl]⁺ complexes (n = 2,4) using ab initio methodology. We found that the changes around the equilibrium distance C–Tl and in the interaction energies are sensitive to the electron correlation potential. We evaluated these effects using several levels of theory, including Hartree–Fock (HF), second‐order Møller–Plesset (MP2), MP4, coupled cluster singles and doubles CCSD(T), and local density approximation augmented by nonlocal corrections for exchange and correlation due to Becke and Perdew (LDA/BP). The obtained interaction energies differences at the equilibrium distance R_e (C–Tl) range from 33 and 46 kJ/mol at the different levels used. These results indicate that the interaction between olefinic systems and Tl(I) are a real minimum on the potential energy surfaces (PES). We can predict that these new complexes are viable for synthesizing. At long distances, the behavior of the [C₂H_n]–Tl⁺ interaction may be related mainly to charge‐induced dipole and dispersion terms, both involving the individual properties of the olefinic π‐system and thallium ion. However, the charge‐induced dipole term (R^?4) is found as the principal contribution in the stability at long and short distances. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Structure of gas phase [C5H6]+˙ ions

Charge-stripping spectra have been used to differentiate ionized cyclopentadiene from its acyclic isomers. The minimum amounts of translational energy lost during the charge-stripping processes and the relative charge-stripping efficiencies, which are also structurally important parameters, have been measured for these ionic species. [C₅H₆]⁺˙ ions, formed by dissociative ionization of various precursors in the ion source are found, usually, to be a mixture of cyclic and acyclic ions. In contrast, [C₅H₆]⁺˙ ions, derived from the dissociation of metastable molecular ions from a series of organic compounds, have the cyclopentadienyl structure. This structure was confirmed by collision-induced dissociation of ions formed in the first field-free region of a triple sector mass spectrometer.     

Assigning structures to [C2H3O]+ ions

The problem of assigning structures to [C₂H₃O]⁺ ions produced from a wide variety of precursor molecules has been readdressed. The identification of the acetyl cation, \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm{CH}}_{\rm{3}} \mathop {\rm{C}}\limits^{\rm{ + }} = {\rm{O}} $\end{document}, from metastable peak characteristics and collisional activation mass spectra appears to be straightforward. The structure \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm{CH}}_{\rm{2}} = \mathop {\rm{C}}\limits^{\rm{ + }} - {\rm{OH}} $\end{document} is also known to exist as a stable ion. A third ion, whose structure may be represented as \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm{C}}\limits^{\rm{ + }} {\rm{H}}_{\rm{2}} {\rm{CHO}} $\end{document} or has also been characterized.