Formation and reactivity of metal carbonyl anions in the gas phase

The reactions of metal carbonyl anions (M(CO)_n^?; M = Cr, Mn and Fe; n = 1–3) with n-heptane, water and methanol were studied with use of a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer equipped with an external ion source. The M(CO)_n^? ions were formed in the FT-ICR cell by collision-induced dissociation of the most abundant primary ion generated by electron impact of the appropriate metal carbonyl compound present in the external ion source. The M(CO)_n^? ions were allowed subsequently to undergo non-reactive collisions with argon in order to remove possible excess internal/translational energy prior to the ion/molecule reaction. Only the Cr(CO)₃^?, Mn(CO)₃^? and Fe(CO)₂^? ions react with n-heptane. This reaction proceeds by loss of H₂ from the collision complex and the Cr(CO)₃^? and Fe(CO)₂^? ions react about three times more efficiently than the Mn(CO)₃^? ion. With water, Mn(CO)^? and Fe(CO)₃^? are unreactive, whereas the other ions react by loss of one or two CO molecules from the collision complex. The rate of the reaction with water decreases in the order Cr(CO)₃^?, Fe(CO)₂^?, Cr(CO)₂^?, Fe(CO)^?, Mn(CO)₃^? and Mn(CO)₂^?. With methanol, the Cr(CO)₂^? ion reacts by loss of two CO molecules from the collision complex, whereas loss of one CO molecule and elimination of CO + H₂ occur in the reaction with Cr(CO)₃^?. Competing loss of CO and one or two H₂ molecules occurs in the reactions of Mn(CO)₃^? and Fe(CO)₂^? with methanol. The rate of the reaction with methanol decreases in the order Cr(CO)₃^?, Fe(CO)₂^?, Cr(CO)₂^? and Mn(CO)₃^?.     

Probing the pyrolysis of methyl formate in the dilute gas phase by synchrotron radiation and theory

The thermal dissociation of the atmospheric constituent methyl formate was probed by coupling pyrolysis with imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy (iPEPICO) using synchrotron VUV radiation at the Swiss Light Source (SLS). iPEPICO allows threshold photoelectron spectra to be obtained for pyrolysis products, distinguishing isomers and separating ionic and neutral dissociation pathways. In this work, the pyrolysis products of dilute methyl formate, CH₃OC(O)H, were elucidated to be CH₃OH + CO, 2 CH₂O and CH₄ + CO₂ as in part distinct from the dissociation of the radical cation (CH₃OH^+• + CO and CH₂OH⁺ + HCO). Density functional theory, CCSD(T), and CBS-QB3 calculations were used to describe the experimentally observed reaction mechanisms, and the thermal decomposition kinetics and the competition between the reaction channels are addressed in a statistical model. One result of the theoretical model is that CH₂O formation was predicted to come directly from methyl formate at temperatures below 1200 K, while above 1800 K, it is formed primarily from the thermal decomposition of methanol.     

Trends in alkyl substituent effects on nucleophilic reactions of carbonyl compounds: gas phase reactions between amines and the methoxy methyl cation

The reactions of various amines (RNH(2); R = H, CH(3), C(2)H(5) and i-C(3)H(7)) with the methoxy methyl cation (CH(2)OCH(3)(+)) have been investigated using an FT-ICR mass spectrometer, and the experimental results are supplied with ab initio calculations. The amines show clear trends in their reactivities with variable degree of: 1) nucleophilic substitution, 2) addition-elimination and 3) hydride abstraction. In all cases addition-elimination dominates over nucleophilic substitution, and for R not equal H the observed reactions occur at the collisional limit. The potential energy profiles for all three reaction types correlate with the basicities of the amines; the more basic amine-the more favourable is the reaction; in other words: nucleophilicity follows basicity in the gas phase.     

Metal carbonyl catalysis of carbon monoxide and formate reactions

The water gas shift reaction (CO + H₂O = CO₂+ H₂) is catalyzed by aqueous metal carbonyl systems derived from simple mononuclear carbonyls such as Fe(CO)₅ and M(CO)₆ (M = Cr, Mo, and W) and bases in the 140–200 °C temperature range. The water gas shift reaction in a basic methanol-water solution containing Fe(CO)₅ is first order in [Fe(CO)₅], zero order in [CO], and essentially independent of base concentration and appears to involve an associative mechanism with a metallocarboxylate intermediate [(CO)₄Fe-CO₂H]^–. The water gas shift reactions using M(CO)₆ as catalyst precursors are first order in [M(CO)₆], inverse first order in [CO], and first order in [HCO₂ ^–] and appear to involve a dissociative mechanism with formatometallate intermediates [(CO)₅M-OCHO]^–.The Reppe hydroformylation of ethylene to produce propionaldehyde and 1-propanol in basic solutions containing Fe(CO)₅ occurs at 110–140 °C. This reaction is second order in [Fe(CO)₅], first order in [C₂H₄] up to a saturation pressure >1.5 MPa, and inhibited by [CO]. These experimental results suggest a mechanism where the rate-determining step involves a binuclear iron carbonyl intermediate. The substitution of Et₃N for NaOH as the base facilitates the reduction of propionaldehyde to 1-propanol but results in a slower rate for the overall reaction.The homogeneous photocatalytic decomposition of the formate ion to H₂ and CO₂ in the presence of Cr(CO)₆ appears to be closely related to the water gas shift reaction. The rate of H₂ production from the formate ion exhibits saturation kinetics in the formate ion and is inhibited by added pyridine. The infrared spectra of the catalyst solutions indicate an LCr(CO)₅ intermediate. Photolysis of the Cr(CO)₆/formate system in aqueous methanol in the presence of an aldehyde RCHO (R =n-heptyl,p-tolyl, andp-anisyl) results in catalytic hydrogenation of the aldehyde to the corresponding alcohol RCH₂OH by the formate ion. Detailed kinetic studies onp-tolualdehyde hydrogenation by this method indicates saturation kinetics in formate ion, autoinhibition by thep-tolualdehyde, and a threshold effect for Cr(CO)₆ at concentrations >0.004 mol L^–1. The presence of an aldehyde can interrupt the water gas shift catalytic cycle by interception of an HCr(CO)₅ ^– intermediate by the aldehyde.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1533–1539, September, 1994.     

Ion-ion reactions in the gas phase: Proton transfer reactions of protonated pyridine with multiply charged oligonucleotide anions

Isolated triply and doubly charged anions of the single-stranded deoxynucleotide 5′-d(AAAA)-3′ were allowed to undergo ion-ion proton transfer reactions with protonated pyridine cations within a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Sufficiently high ion number densities and spatial overlap of the oppositely charged ion clouds could be achieved to yield readily measurable rates. Three general observations were made: (1) the ion-ion reaction rate constants were estimated to be 10^{? (7 ? 8)} cm³ ion^?1 s^?1; (2) the ion-ion reaction rates were found to be dependent on the reactant ion number density, which could be controlled by both the reactant ion number and the pseudopotential well depth, and (3) very little fragmentation, if any, was observed, as might normally be expected with highly exothermic proton transfer reactions.     

Mechanisms of nucleophilic reactions of carbonyl compounds in the gas phase and in a solution

The effect of substituents on nucleophilic addition at the C=O bond, which occurs by the mechanism of intramolecular proton transfer, has been studied by the quantum-chemical MNDO/H method. The effect of nucleophiles and substituents at the carbonyl C atom in the gas phase is opposite to that in solution. Strengthening of the bond between the nucleophile and the carbonyl compound as the result of the transfer of electron density to the carbonyl C atom results in the stabilization of the tetrahedral bipolar adduct. In the formation of an adduct with a strong nucleophile the geometry of the transition state (TS) is closer to that of the reaction product, whereas in the case of a weak nucleophile it is similar to that of the initial reagents. Attack by a weak nucleophile and electron-donating groups at the carbonyl C atom favor the situation in which the reaction system achieves a TS earlier and proton transfer occurs with a low activation barrier.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 227–230, February, 1994.     

The chemistry of metal carbonyl anions : III. Sodium-potassium alloy: An efficient reagent for the production of metal carbonyl anions

Reduction of several metal carbonyl dimers including Mn₂](CO)₁₀, [C₅H₅Fe(C0)₂]₂, Co₂(CO)₈, and [C₅H₅M(CO)₃]₂ (M = Cr, Mo and W) by sodium—potassium alloy (NaK) in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature provides a rapid and clean method for the production of the corresponding metal carbonyl anions in high yield. Isolation and characterization of [n-Bu₄N] [Fe(CO)₂C₅H₅] from the iron dimer reduction is described. Reductions of other carbonyls including M(CO)₆ (M = Cr, Mo and W) and Re₂(CO)₁₀ proceed more slowly than previously established methods and provide principally M₂(CO)₁₀^2? and Re(CO)₅₅^?. Methods for the preparation of Re(CO)₅^? are critically considered. The reaction of NaK with [C₅H₅NiCO]₂ is discussed in relation to previously reported results. Infrared solution spectra of a number of carbonyl anions in THF, obtained in a special infrared solution cell, are reported.     

Hydrogen/deuterium exchange in gas phase reactions of anions with some alkyl phenyl ethers

The gas phase reactions of anions with methyl and ethyl phenyl ether have been studied by Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry. ¹⁸O-Labelling has shown that part of the reactions of OH^- with methyl phenyl ether proceed via ipso-substitution, the main reaction channel being S_N2 substitution. Deuterium labelling has shown that extensive inter- and intramolecular hydrogen/deuterium exchange can precede the final substitution reaction. Hydrogen atoms originating from the methoxy substituent are involved in this exchange process. The reactions of anions with ethyl phenyl ether proceed mainly via an elimination mechanism. Deuterium labelling has shown that in some cases hydrogen/deuterium exchange takes place prior to elimination.     

Synthesis of allyl-transition metal complexes by phase transfer catalyzed reactions of metal carbonyl halides: III. Considerations of the mechanisms

Mechanisms are proposed for the hydroxide ion-initiated reactions of metal carbonyl halides which lead to allyl-transition metal complexes under phase transfer conditions. Evidence is presented for intermediate anionic metallocarboxylic acids in reactions leading to η³-allyl products of molybdenum, iron, ruthenium and manganese, whereas η¹ complexes are shown to result from halide displacement reactions in which simple metal carbonyl anions are generated. In some cases phosphorus-containing ligands inhibit the hydroxide-promoted reactions of metal carbonyl halides with allyl bromide; a rationale involving decreased acidity of the carbonyl ligands is presented. Syntheses of η³-C₃H₅Mn(CO)₃P(OCH₃)₃ and η³-C₃H₅Mn(CO)₂[P(OCH₃)₃]₂ by phase transfer catalysis are also described.     

Perspectives in the syntheses of novel organometallic compounds using metal carbonyl anions

The molecular structure of [(C₆H₅)₃P]₂Pt(C₅H₈) has been determined from three-dimensional X-ray diffraction data (R = 0.045 for 6033 reflections). The crystal belongs to the triclinic system, space group P$\text{1}$, with two formula units in a cell of dimensions: a = 18.557(2), b = 10.216(2), c = 9.647(2) Å, α = 98.29 (3), β = 73.44(2), and γ = 88.34(2)°.One of the olefinic bonds of dimethylallene, which has no adjacent methyl groups, is coordinated to the platinum atom: PtC(1) = 2.108(8), PtC(2) = 2.049(7) Å. The coordinated dimethylallene molecule is no longer linear, the C(1)C(2)C(3) angle being 140.8(8)°, which is significantly smaller than that found in [(C₆H₅)₃P]₂Pd(C₃H₄). The C(1)C(2) distance is 1.430(11) Å, whereas the uncoordinated bond distance is normal [C(2)C(3) = 1.316(11)Å].     

Ozone reactions with alkaline-earth metal cations and dications in the gas phase: room-temperature kinetics and catalysis

Room-temperature rate coefficients and product distributions are reported for the reactions of ozone with the cations and dications of the alkaline-earth metals Ca, Sr, and Ba. The measurements were performed with a selected-ion flow tube (SIFT) tandem mass spectrometer in conjunction with either an electrospray (ESI) or an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ionization source. All the singly charged species react with ozone by O-atom transfer and form monoxide cations rapidly, k = 4.8, 6.7, and 8.7 x 10(-10) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) for the reactions of Ca+, Sr+, and Ba+, respectively. Further sequential O-atom transfer occurs to form dioxide and trioxide cations. The efficiencies for all O-atom transfer reactions are greater than 10%. The data also signify the catalytic conversion of ozone to oxygen with the alkaline-earth metal and metal oxide cations serving as catalysts. Ca2+ reacts rapidly with O3 by charge separation to form CaO+ and O2+ with a rate coefficient of k = 1.5 x 10(-9) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). In contrast, the reactions of Sr2+ and Ba2+ are found to be slow and add O3, (k >/= 1.1 x 10-11 cm3 molecule-1 s-1). The initial additions are followed by the rapid sequential addition of up to five O3 molecules with values of k between 1 and 5 x 10(-10) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). Metal/ozone cluster ions as large as Sr2+(O3)5 and Ba2+(O3)4 were observed for the first time.     

The formation of iron carbonyl radical anions in the reactions of iron carbonyls with trimethylamine N-oxide

The interaction of iron carbonyls, Fe(CO)₅, Fe₂(CO)₉ and Fe₃(CO)₁₂ with Me₃NO occurs according to a one-electron redox-disproportionation scheme giving rise to iron carbonyl radical anions: Fe₂(CO)₈^·− (1), Fe₃(CO)₁₂^·− (2), Fe₃(CO)₁₁^·− (3) and Fe₄(CO)₁₃^·− (4). The role of Me₃NO, inducing CO-substitution, consists of the generation of reactive 17-electron species with a labile coordination sphere in which the substitution for other ligands occurs, resulting from fast ligand and electron exchange in the confines of the ETC-reaction.     

Hydration of alumina cluster anions in the gas phase

Hydration reactions of anionic aluminum oxide clusters were measured using a quadrupole ion trap secondary ion mass spectrometer, wherein the number of Lewis acid sites were determined. The extent of hydration varied irregularly as cluster size increased and indicated that the clusters possessed condensed structures where the majority of the Al atoms were fully coordinated, with a limited number of undercoordinated sites susceptible to hydrolysis. For maximally hydrated ions, the number of OH groups per Al decreased in an exponential fashion from 4.0 in Al(1) cluster to 1.4 in the Al(9) cluster, which was greater than that expected for a highly hydroxylated surface but less than that for solution phase alumina clusters.     

Rearrangement of aromatic sulfonate anions in the gas phase

Collisionally activated dissociation of deprotonated aromatic sulfonic acids in the gas phase causes rearrangement and fragmentation to produce the corresponding phenoxide ions. The mechanism for this reaction has been investigated and the results of this study favor initial intramolecular nucleophilic addition of a sulfonate oxygen atom to the aromatic ring, a process which is followed by heterolytic cleavage of the carbon–sulfur bond to rearomatize the ring. The product from this addition–elimination sequence is the anion of a sulfurous acid half-ester, which loses SO₂ to generate the corresponding phenoxide ion.     

Kinetics of reactions between methyl and acetyl radicals in gas phase produced by flash photolysis of acetic anhydride

The reaction products of photolysis of acetic anhydride in gas phase at 25°C, where He or CO₂ was present as buffer gas, were analyzed by gas chromatography. The extent of photodissociation was 52% ± 5% and the extent of intramolecular hydrogen transfer reaction producing acetic acid and ketene was 48% ± 5%. The rate constants of the hydrogen exchange and radical combination reactions between methyl and acetyl radicals were calculated from the amounts of products. The value of the ratio of the rate constants of hydrogen exchange and radical combination reactions between methyl and acetyl radicals, ??₇/??₆ = 0.15, indicates that acetyl radical is a relatively poor hydrogen donor. The corresponding ratio of rate constants for the reactions between two acetyl radicals, ??₉/??_s = 0.42, indicates that acetyl radical is a better hydrogen acceptor than methyl radical.     

Heavy water reactions with alkaline-earth metal dications in the gas phase: Kinetics at room temperature

Room temperature rate coefficients and product distributions are reported for the reactions initiated in D₂O with dications of the alkaline-earth metals Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba. The measurements were performed with a selected-ion flow tube (SIFT) tandem mass spectrometer and electrospray ionization (ESI). Mg²⁺ reacts with water by a fast electron transfer leading to charge separation with a rate coefficient of 1.4 × 10⁻⁹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹. Ca²⁺ reacts with D₂O in a first step to form the adduct Ca²⁺(D₂O), with an effective bimolecular rate coefficient of 2.3 × 10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹, which then undergoes rapid charge separation by deuteron transfer to form CaOD⁺ and D₃O⁺ in a second step with k = 7.9 × 10⁻¹⁰ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹. The CaOD⁺ ion reacts further by clustering up to five more D₂O molecules. Sr²⁺ clusters up to eight D₂O molecules and Ba²⁺ up to seven D₂O molecules, with the first addition of D₂O being rate determining in each case and the last addition being distinctly slower, as might be expected from a transition in the occupation of the added water molecules from an inner to an outer hydration shell.     

Probing the pyrolysis of ethyl formate in the dilute gas phase by synchrotron radiation and theory

The thermal decomposition of the atmospheric constituent ethyl formate was studied by coupling flash pyrolysis with imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) spectroscopy using synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation at the Swiss Light Source (SLS). iPEPICO allows photoion mass-selected threshold photoelectron spectra (ms-TPES) to be obtained for pyrolysis products. By threshold photoionization and ion imaging, parent ions of neutral pyrolysis products and dissociative photoionization products could be distinguished, and multiple spectral carriers could be identified in several ms-TPES. The TPES and mass-selected TPES for ethyl formate are reported for the first time and appear to correspond to ionization of the lowest energy conformer having a cis (eclipsed) configuration of the O = C (H)– O – C (H₂)–CH₃ and trans (staggered) configuration of the O= C (H)– O – C (H₂)– C H₃ dihedral angles. We observed the following ethyl formate pyrolysis products: CH₃CH₂OH, CH₃CHO, C₂H₆, C₂H₄, HC(O)OH, CH₂O, CO₂, and CO, with HC(O)OH and C₂H₄ pyrolyzing further, forming CO + H₂O and C₂H₂ + H₂. The reaction paths and energetics leading to these products, together with the products of two homolytic bond cleavage reactions, CH₃CH₂O + CHO and CH₃CH₂ + HC(O)O, were studied computationally at the M06-2X-GD3/aug-cc-pVTZ and SVECV-f12 levels of theory, complemented by further theoretical methods for comparison. The calculated reaction pathways were used to derive Arrhenius parameters for each reaction. The reaction rate constants and branching ratios are discussed in terms of the residence time and newly suggest carbon monoxide as a competitive primary fragmentation product at high temperatures.     

Charge transfer complexes as possible intermediates in free radical addition and telomerization reactions initiated by metal carbonyl systems

Spectral data were obtained for the charge transfer complexes formed by CBr₄ with Mn₂(CO)₁₀, Fe(CO)₅, and M(CO)₆ (M=Cr, Mo, and W) in the Fe(CO)₅ -DMF system. A qualitative correlation was found between the position and intensity of the charge transfer band and the efficiency of these systems as initiators of homolytic addition and telomerization reactions, proceeding with dissociation of a C- Br bond in the telogen.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 454–458, February, 1990.     

Quantitation of formate by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography--mass spectrometry utilizing a [13C]formate internal standard

A new method for the analysis of formic acid was developed using gas chromatography-electron impact ionization mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode and solid-phase microextraction. Using this method with [13C]formic acid as an internal standard, the peak area ratio of [12C]formic acid/[13C]formic acid was not affected by differing methanol or sulfuric acid concentrations during the esterification and fiber adsorbing step. In comparison, the peak area ratio of formic acid/acetonitrile as detected by conventional GC with flame ionization detection was greatly affected by methanol or sulfuric acid concentrations. The formic acid calibration curve of our method showed excellent linearity over the range 5 to 200 microM. The within- and between-run assay relative standard deviations for the formic acid concentration were all less than 1.70%.