Thermal and electrochemical C-X activation (X = Cl,Br, I) by the strong Lewis acid Pd3(dppm)3(CO)2+ cluster and its catalytic applications

The stoichiometric and catalytic activations of alkyl halides and acid chlorides by the unsatured Pd(3)(dppm)(3)(CO)(2+) cluster (Pd(3)(2+)) are investigated in detail. A series of alkyl halides (R-X; R = t-Bu, Et, Pr, Bu, allyl; X = Cl, Br, I) react slowly with Pd(3)(2+) to form the corresponding Pd(3)(X)(+) adduct and "R(+)". This activation can proceed much faster if it is electrochemically induced via the formation of the paramagnetic species Pd(3)(+). The latter is the first confidently identified paramagnetic Pd cluster. The kinetic constants extracted from the evolution of the UV-vis spectra for the thermal activation, as well as the amount of electricity to bring the activation to completion for the electrochemically induced reactions, correlate the relative C-X bond strength and the steric factors. The highly reactive "R(+)" species has been trapped using phenol to afford the corresponding ether. On the other hand, the acid chlorides react rapidly with Pd(3)(2+) where no induction is necessary. The analysis of the cyclic voltammograms (CV) establishes that a dissociative mechanism operates (RCOCl --> RCO(+) + Cl(-); R = t-Bu, Ph) prior to Cl(-) scavenging by the Pd(3)(2+) species. For the other acid chlorides (R = n-C(6)H(13), Me(2)CH, Et, Me, Pr), a second associative process (Pd(3)(2+) + RCOCl --> Pd(3)(2+.....)Cl(CO)(R)) is seen. Addition of Cu(NCMe)(4)(+) or Ag(+) leads to the abstraction of Cl(-) from Pd(3)(Cl)(+) to form Pd(3)(2+) and the insoluble MCl materials (M = Cu, Ag) allowing to regenerate the starting unsaturated cluster, where the precipitation of MX drives the reaction. By using a copper anode, the quasi-quantitative catalytic generation of the acylium ion ("RCO(+)") operates cleanly and rapidly. The trapping of "RCO(+)" with PF(6)(-) or BF(4)(-) leads to the corresponding acid fluorides and, with an alcohol (R'OH), to the corresponding ester catalytically, under mild conditions. Attempts were made to trap the key intermediates "Pd(3)(Cl)(+)...M(+)" (M(+) = Cu(+), Ag(+)), which was successfully performed for Pd(3)(ClAg)(2+), as characterized by (31)P NMR, IR, and FAB mass spectrometry. During the course of this investigation, the rare case of PF(6)(-) hydrolysis has been observed, where the product PF(2)O(2)(-) anion is observed in the complex Pd(3)(PF(2)O(2))(+), where the substrate is well-located inside the cavity formed by the dppm-Ph groups above the unsatured face of the Pd(3)(2+) center. This work shows that Pd(3)(2+) is a stronger Lewis acid in CH(2)Cl(2) and THF than AlCl(3), Ag(+), Cu(+), and Tl(+).     

Gas-phase transuranium chemistry: reactions of actinide ions with alcohols and thiols.

The laser ablation with prompt reaction and detection method was employed to provide a survey of some gas-phase reactions of actinide (M = U, Np, Pu and Am) and lanthanide (M = Tb and Tm) ions, M(+) and MO(1,2)(+), with alcohols, thiols and ethers. Particular attention was given the changing behavior in progressing across the actinide series beyond uranium. With alcohols, ROH, major products included hydroxides and alkoxides, M(OH)(1,2)(+), M(OR)(1,2)(+), MO(OH)(+) and MO(OR)(+); these products are presumed to have resulted from RO&bond;H and R&bond;OH bond cleavage by ablated M(+) and MO(+). The abundance distributions for these elementary products reflected the decrease in stabilities of high oxidation states between U and Am. Other alcohol reaction products included electrostatically bonded adducts, such as HO&bond;Np(+)ellipsisC(3)H(7)OH, sigma-bonded organometallics, such as HO&bond;Pu(+)&bond;C(2)H(5), and pi-bonded organometallics, such as Np(+)&bond;eta(3)-?C(3)H(5)?. In view of the inability of actinide and lanthanide ions to dehydrogenate alkanes, the exhibition of dehydrogenation of the alkyl chain of alcohols, as in HO-Pu(+)-C(3)H(5)O from propanol, suggests a non-insertion mechanism involving complexation of the reactant ion to the alcohol. Whereas O abstraction products from ROH were obfuscated by directly ablated MO(1,2)(+), S abstraction from thiols, RSH, was manifested by the appearance of MS(+), MS(2)(+) and MOS(+). In analogy with OH abstraction from alcohols to produce metal hydroxides, SH abstraction from thiols resulted in hydrosulfides, including Am(SH)(+) and Np(SH)(2)(+). In addition to several other reaction pathways with the thiol reagents, products presumed to be thiolates included Am(C(3)H(7)S)(+) and NpO(C(3)H(7)S) from propanethiol. A primary product of reaction with dimethyl ether were methoxides resulting from C--O bond cleavage, including Am(OCH(3))(+) and Np(OCH(3))(2)(+). With methyl vinyl ether, more complex pathways were exhibited, most of which corresponded to the elimination of stable organic molecules. An ancillary result was the discovery of several small oxide clusters, Am(2)O(n)(+), Np(2)O(n)(+) and AmNpO(n)(+). The compositions and abundance distributions of these clusters reflected the propensity of Np to exist in higher oxidation states than Am; the dominant binary clusters were Am(2)O(2)(+) and Np(2)O(3)(+).     

Collision-induced dissociation and density functional theory studies of CO adsorption over zirconium oxide cluster ions: oxidative and nonoxidative adsorption

Zirconium oxide cluster cations and anions are produced by laser ablation and reacted with CO in a fast flow reactor. The CO adsorption products Zr(x)O(y)CO(+) are observed for most of the generated cationic clusters (Zr(x)O(y)(+) = Zr(2)O(5,6)(+), Zr(3)O(7,8)(+), Zr(4)O(9,10)(+)...) while only specific anionic systems (Zr(x)O(y)(-) = Zr(3)O(7)(-), Zr(4)O(9)(-)...) absorb CO to produce Zr(x)O(y)CO(-). To study how the CO molecule is adsorbed on the clusters, the Zr(x)O(y)CO(±) products are mass-selected by a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) and collided with a crossed helium beam. The fragment ions from collision-induced dissociation (CID) are detected by a secondary TOF-MS. Loss of CO and CO(2) is observed upon the collision of the helium beam with Zr(x)O(y)CO(+) and Zr(x)O(2x+1)CO(-), respectively. Density functional theory calculations indicate that oxidative and nonoxidative adsorption of CO takes place over Zr(3)O(7)(-) and Zr(3)O(7)(+), respectively. This is consistent with the CID experiments.     

Structure of molybdenum and tungsten sulfide M(x)S(y)+ clusters: experiment and DFT calculations

A combination of experiment and density functional theory was used to investigate the energetics of CO adsorption onto several small M(x)S(y)(+) (M = Mo, W; x/y = 2/6, 3/7, 5/7, 6/8) clusters as a probe of their atomic and electronic structure. Experimentally, tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure the relative yields of M(x)S(y)(+)(CO)(n) cluster adducts formed by collisions between a beam of mass-selected M(x)S(y)(+) cluster ions and CO molecules in a high-pressure collision cell (hexapole ion guide). The most probable M(x)S(y)(+)(CO)(n) adducts observed are those with n < or = x, that is, only one CO molecule bound to each metal site. The notable exception is the M(5)S(7)(+) cluster, for which the n = 6 adduct is found to have nearly the same intensity as the n = x = 5 adduct. Density functional calculations were used to search for the lowest energy structures of the bare M(x)S(y)(+) clusters and to obtain their relative stability for sequential CO binding. The calculated trends in CO binding energies were then compared to the experimental adduct distributions for assigning the ground-state structures. In this way, it was possible to distinguish between two nearly isoenergetic ground-state isomers for the M(2)S(6)(+) and M(3)S(7)(+) clusters, as only one isomer gave a calculated CO stabilization energy trend that was consistent with the experimental data. Similar comparisons of predicted and observed CO adsorption trends also provide evidence for assigning the ground-state structures of the M(5)S(7)(+) and M(6)S(8)(+) clusters. The latter contain metallic cores with most of the sulfur atoms bonded along the edges or in the faces of the metal core structure. The n = 6 and 7 adducts of M(5)S(7)(+) are predicted to be more stable than the n = x = 5 adduct, but only the n = 6 adduct is observed experimentally. The DFT calculations show that the n = 7 adduct undergoes internal bond breaking whereas the n = 6 framework is stable, albeit highly distorted. For the M(6)S(8)(+) cluster, the calculations predict that the two lowest energy isomers can bind more than six CO molecules without fragmentation; however, the apparent binding energy drops significantly for adducts with n > 6. In general, the ability of these small M(x)S(y)(+) clusters to bind more CO molecules than the number of metal atoms is a balance between the gain in CO adsorption energy versus the strain introduced into the cluster structure caused by CO crowding, the consequences of which can be fragmentation of the M(x)S(y)(+)(CO)(n) cluster adduct (n > x).     

Hydride ion transfer from ruthenium(II) complexes in water: kinetics and mechanism

Reactions of hydride complexes of ruthenium(II) with hydride acceptors have been examined for Ru(terpy)(bpy)H(+), Ru(terpy)(dmb)H(+), and Ru(η(6)-C(6)Me(6))(bpy)(H)(+) in aqueous media at 25 °C (terpy = 2,2';6',2'-terpyridine, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, dmb = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine). The acceptors include CO(2), CO, CH(2)O, and H(3)O(+). CO reacts with Ru(terpy)(dmb)H(+) with a rate constant of 1.2 (0.2) × 10(1) M(-1) s(-1), but for Ru(η(6)-C(6)Me(6))(bpy)(H)(+), the reaction was very slow, k ≤ 0.1 M(-1) s(-1). Ru(terpy)(bpy)H(+) and Ru(η(6)-C(6)Me(6))(bpy)(H)(+) react with CH(2)O with rate constants of (6 ± 4) × 10(6) and 1.1 × 10(3) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. The reaction of Ru(η(6)-C(6)Me(6))(bpy)(H)(+) with acid exhibits straightforward, second-order kinetics, with the rate proportional to [Ru(η(6)-C(6)Me(6))(bpy)(H)(+)] and [H(3)O(+)] and k = 2.2 × 10(1) M(-1) s(-1) (μ = 0.1 M, Na(2)SO(4) medium). However, for the case of Ru(terpy)(bpy)H(+), the protonation step is very rapid, and only the formation of the product Ru(terpy)(bpy)(H(2)O)(2+) (presumably via a dihydrogen or dihydride complex) is observed with a k(obs) of ca. 4 s(-1). The hydricities of HCO(2)(-), HCO(-), and H(3)CO(-) in water are estimated as +1.48, -0.76, and +1.57 eV/molecule (+34, -17.5, +36 kcal/mol), respectively. Theoretical studies of the reactions with CO(2) reveal a "product-like" transition state with short C-H and long M-H distances. (Reactant) Ru-H stretched 0.68 ?; (product) C-H stretched only 0.04 ?. The role of water solvent was explored by including one, two, or three water molecules in the calculation.     

Potential energy surface for activation of methane by Pt(+): a combined guided ion beam and DFT study

A guided-ion beam tandem mass spectrometer is used to study the reactions of Pt(+) with methane, PtCH(2)(+) with H(2) and D(2), and collision-induced dissociation of PtCH(4)(+) and PtCH(2)(+) with Xe. These studies experimentally probe the potential energy surface for the activation of methane by Pt(+). For the reaction of Pt(+) with methane, dehydrogenation to form PtCH(2)(+) + H(2) is exothermic, efficient, and the only process observed at low energies. PtH(+), formed in a simple C-H bond cleavage, dominates the product spectrum at high energies. The observation of a PtH(2)(+) product provides evidence that methane activation proceeds via a (H)(2)PtCH(2)(+) intermediate. Modeling of the endothermic reaction cross sections yields the 0 K bond dissociation energies in eV (kJ/mol) of D(0)(Pt(+)-H) = 2.81 +/- 0.05 (271 +/- 5), D(0)(Pt(+)-2H) = 6.00 +/- 0.12 (579 +/- 12), D(0)(Pt(+)-C) = 5.43 +/- 0.05 (524 +/- 5), D(0)(Pt(+)-CH) = 5.56 +/- 0.10 (536 +/- 10), and D(0)(Pt(+)-CH(3)) = 2.67 +/- 0.08 (258 +/- 8). D(0)(Pt(+)-CH(2)) = 4.80 +/- 0.03 eV (463 +/- 3 kJ/mol) is determined by measuring the forward and reverse reaction rates for Pt(+) + CH(4) right harpoon over left harpoon PtCH(2)(+) + H(2) at thermal energy. We find extensive hydrogen scrambling in the reaction of PtCH(2)(+) with D(2). Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of PtCH(4)(+), identified as the H-Pt(+)-CH(3) intermediate, with Xe reveals a bond energy of 1.77 +/- 0.08 eV (171 +/- 8 kJ/mol) relative to Pt(+) + CH(4). The experimental thermochemistry is favorably compared with density functional theory calculations (B3LYP using several basis sets), which also establish the electronic structures of these species and provide insight into the reaction mechanism. Results for the reaction of Pt(+) with methane are compared with those for the analogous palladium system and the differences in reactivity and mechanism are discussed.     

Photoionization study of L-valine in the gas phase by vacuum ultraviolet synchrotron radiation

The photoionization and photodissociation of L-valine are studied by tunable synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry at the photon energy of 13 eV. The ionization energy of L-valine and the appearance energies of major fragments are measured by the photoionization efficiency spectrum in the photon energy range of 8-11 eV. Possible formation pathways of the major fragments, NH(2)CHC(OH)(2)(+) (m/z=75), NH(2)(CH(3))(2)(CH)(2)(+) (m/z=72) and NH(2)CHCO(+) (m/z=57), are discussed in detail with the theoretical calculations at the B3LYP/6-31++G (d, p) level. Hydrogen migration is considered as the key way for the formation of NH(2)CHC(OH)(2)(+) (m/z=75) and NH(2)CHCO(+) (m/z=57). Furthermore, other fragments, NH(2)CHCOOH(+) (m/z=74), (CH(3))(2)(CH)(2)(+) (m/z=56), C(4)H(7)(+) (m/z=55), NH(2)CHOH(+) (m/z=46), NH(2)CH(2)(+) (m/z=30) and m/z=18, species are also briefly described.     

A kinetic study of Mg+ and Mg-containing ions reacting with O3, O2, N2, CO2, N2O and H2O: implications for magnesium ion chemistry in the upper atmosphere

Reactions between Mg(+) and O(3), O(2), N(2), CO(2) and N(2)O were studied using the pulsed laser photo-dissociation at 193 nm of Mg(C(5)H(7)O(2))(2) vapour, followed by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence of Mg(+) at 279.6 nm (Mg(+)(3(2)P(3/2)-3(2)S(1/2))). The rate coefficient for the reaction Mg(+) + O(3) is at the Langevin capture rate coefficient and independent of temperature, k(190-340 K) = (1.17 ± 0.19) × 10(-9) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) (1σ error). The reaction MgO(+) + O(3) is also fast, k(295 K) = (8.5 ± 1.5) × 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), and produces Mg(+) + 2O(2) with a branching ratio of (0.35 ± 0.21), the major channel forming MgO(2)(+) + O(2). Rate data for Mg(+) recombination reactions yielded the following low-pressure limiting rate coefficients: k(Mg(+) + N(2)) = 2.7 × 10(-31) (T/300 K)(-1.88); k(Mg(+) + O(2)) = 4.1 × 10(-31) (T/300 K)(-1.65); k(Mg(+) + CO(2)) = 7.3 × 10(-30) (T/300 K)(-1.59); k(Mg(+) + N(2)O) = 1.9 × 10(-30) (T/300 K)(-2.51) cm(6) molecule(-2) s(-1), with 1σ errors of ±15%. Reactions involving molecular Mg-containing ions were then studied at 295 K by the pulsed laser ablation of a magnesite target in a fast flow tube, with mass spectrometric detection. Rate coefficients for the following ligand-switching reactions were measured: k(Mg(+)·CO(2) + H(2)O → Mg(+)·H(2)O + CO(2)) = (5.1 ± 0.9) × 10(-11); k(MgO(2)(+) + H(2)O → Mg(+)·H(2)O + O(2)) = (1.9 ± 0.6) × 10(-11); k(Mg(+)·N(2) + O(2)→ Mg(+)·O(2) + N(2)) = (3.5 ± 1.5) × 10(-12) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). Low-pressure limiting rate coefficients were obtained for the following recombination reactions in He: k(MgO(2)(+) + O(2)) = 9.0 × 10(-30) (T/300 K)(-3.80); k(Mg(+)·CO(2) + CO(2)) = 2.3 × 10(-29) (T/300 K)(-5.08); k(Mg(+)·H(2)O + H(2)O) = 3.0 × 10(-28) (T/300 K)(-3.96); k(MgO(2)(+) + N(2)) = 4.7 × 10(-30) (T/300 K)(-3.75); k(MgO(2)(+) + CO(2)) = 6.6 × 10(-29) (T/300 K)(-4.18); k(Mg(+)·H(2)O + O(2)) = 1.2 × 10(-27) (T/300 K)(-4.13) cm(6) molecule(-2) s(-1). The implications of these results for magnesium ion chemistry in the atmosphere are discussed.     

Oxidation state and symmetry of magnesia-supported Pd13O(x) nanocatalysts influence activation barriers of CO oxidation

Combining temperature-programmed reaction measurements, isotopic labeling experiments, and first-principles spin density functional theory, the dependence of the reaction temperature of catalyzed carbon monoxide oxidation on the oxidation state of Pd(13) clusters deposited on MgO surfaces grown on Mo(100) is explored. It is shown that molecular oxygen dissociates easily on the supported Pd(13) cluster, leading to facile partial oxidation to form Pd(13)O(4) clusters with C(4v) symmetry. Increasing the oxidation temperature to 370 K results in nonsymmetric Pd(13)O(6) clusters. The higher symmetry, partially oxidized cluster is characterized by a relatively high activation energy for catalyzed combustion of the first CO molecule via a reaction of an adsorbed CO molecule with one of the oxygen atoms of the Pd(13)O(4) cluster. Subsequent reactions on the resulting lower-symmetry Pd(13)O(x) (x < 4) clusters entail lower activation energies. The nonsymmetric Pd(13)O(6) clusters show lower temperature-catalyzed CO combustion, already starting at cryogenic temperature.     

Determination of copper in coal fly ash in the presence of excess titanium by dynamic reaction cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS) was used for the accurate determination of copper in coal fly ash samples in the presence of excess titanium, using the reaction of Cu(+) ions with NH(3) in the cell. The method eliminated the effect of polyatomic isobaric interferences at m/z 63 and 65 caused by the formation of (47)Ti(16)O(+), (49)Ti(16)O(+) and (47)Ti(18)O(+) on (63)Cu(+) and (65)Cu(+) by detecting Cu(+) as the product cluster ion Cu(NH(3))(2)(+). As the signal of (63)Cu(NH(3))(2)(+) overlapped with that of (97)Mo(+) which existed in the samples, (65)Cu(NH(3))(2)(+) was detected at m/z 99. The effect of the operating conditions of DRC system was studied in order to obtain the best signal to noise ratio for Cu(NH(3))(2)(+) at m/z 99. The formation of Cu(NH(3))(2)(+) was through the clustering reaction Cu(+)+2NH(3)-->Cu(NH(3))(2)(+) which resulted in the separation of analyte from the interfering oxide. The detection limit for Cu(NH(3))(2)(+) was 0.015 ng mL(-1) as Cu. The method was applied to the determination of copper in NIST SRM 1633a and 1633b coal fly ash reference materials. The precision between sample replicates was better than 2.0% and the analysis results were in good agreement with the certified values.     

Activation of CH4 by gas-phase Mo+, and the thermochemistry of Mo-ligand complexes

The kinetic-energy dependence of the reactions of Mo(+) ((6)S) with methane has been studied using guided ion beam mass spectrometry. No exothermic reactions are observed in this system, as also found previously, but efficient dehydrogenation occurs at slightly elevated energies. At higher energies, MoH(+) dominates the product spectrum and MoC(+), MoCH(+), and MoCH(3)(+) are also observed. Modeling of the endothermic reaction cross sections yields the 0 K bond dissociation energies (in eV) of D(0)(Mo(+)-C) = 4.55 +/- 0.19, D(0)(Mo(+)-CH) = 5.32 +/- 0.14, D(0)(Mo(+)-CH(2)) = 3.57 +/- 0.10, and D(0)(Mo(+)-CH(3)) = 1.57 +/- 0.09. The results for Mo(+) are compared with those for the first- and third-row transition-metal congeners, Cr(+) and W(+), and the differences in behavior and mechanism are discussed. Theoretical results are used to elucidate the geometric and electronic structures of all product ions as well as the complete potential-energy surface for reaction. The efficiency of the coupling between the sextet and quartet spin surfaces is also quantified.     

Rational design and assembly of M(2)M'(3)L(6) supramolecular clusters with C(3h) symmetry by exploiting incommensurate symmetry numbers.

A rational approach to heterometallic cluster formation is described that uses incommensurate symmetry requirements at two different metals to control the stoichiometry of the assembly. Critical to this strategy is the proper design and synthesis of hybrid ligands with coordination sites selective toward each metal. The phosphino-catechol ligand 4-(diphenylphosphino)benzene-1,2-diol (H(2)L) possesses both hard catecholate and soft phosphine donor sites and serves such a role, using soft (C(2)-symmetric) and hard (C(3)-symmetric) metal centers. The ML(3) catecholate complexes (M = Fe(III), Ga(III), Ti(IV), Sn(IV)) have been prepared and characterized as C(3)-symmetry precursors for the stepwise assembly (aufbau) of heterometallic clusters. While the single-crystal X-ray structure of the Cs(2)[TiL(3)] salt shows a C(1) mer-configuration in the solid -state, room-temperature solution NMR data of this and related complexes are consistent with either exclusive formation of the C(3)-fac-isomer with all PPh(2) donor sites syn to each other or facile fac/mer isomerization. Coordination of these [ML(3)](2)(-) (M = Ti(IV), Sn(IV)) metallaligands via their soft P donor sites to C(2)-symmetric PdBr(2) units gives exclusively pentametallic [M(2)Pd(3)Br(6)L(6)](4)(-) (M = Ti, Sn) clusters. These clusters have been fully characterized by spectral and X-ray structural data as C(3h) mesocates with Cs(+) or protonated 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO.H(+)) cations incorporated into deep molecular clefts. Exclusive formation of this type of supramolecular species is sensitive to the nature of the counterions. Alkali cations such as K(+), Rb(+), and Cs(+) give high-yield formation of the respective clusters while NEt(3)H(+) and NMe(4)(+) yield none of the desired products. Extension of the aufbau assembly to produce related [M(2)Pd(3)Cl(6)L(6)](4)(-), [M(2)Pd(3)I(6)L(6)](4)(-), and [M(2)Cr(3)(CO)(12)L(6)](4)(-) (M = Ti, Sn) clusters has also been realized. In addition to this aufbau approach, self-assembly of several of these [M(2)Pd(3)Br(6)L(6)](4)(-) clusters from all eleven components (two M(IV), three PdBr(2), six H(2)L) was also accomplished under appropriate reaction conditions.     

Comparison of Adsorption Probabilities of O(2) and CO on Copper Cluster Cations and Anions

Reactions of size-selected copper cluster cations and anions, Cu(n)(±), with O(2) and CO have been systematically investigated under single collision conditions by using a tandem-mass spectrometer. In the reactions of Cu(n)(±) (n = 3-25) with O(2), oxidation of the cluster is prominently observed with and without releasing Cu atoms at the collision energy of 0.2 eV. The reactivity of Cu(n)(+) is governed to some extent by the electronic shell structure; the relatively small reaction cross sections observed at n = 9 and 21 correspond to the electronic shell closings, and those at odd sizes in n ≤ 16 match with the clusters having no unpaired electron. On the other hand, the reactivity of Cu(n)(-) exhibits no remarkable decrease by the electronic shell closings and the even-numbered electrons. These behaviors may be due to an influence of the electron detachment of the reaction intermediate, Cu(n)O(2)(-). Both the cations and anions show the dominant formation of Cu(n-1)O(2)(±) in n ≤ 16 and Cu(n)O(2)(±) in n ≥ 17 in the experimental time window. By contrast, Cu(n)(-) (n = 3-11) do not react with CO at the collision energy of 0.2 eV, while Cu(n)(+) (n = 3-19) adsorb CO though the cross sections are relatively small. The difference in the reactivity between the charge states can be understood in terms of the frontier orbitals of the Cu cluster and O(2) or CO.     

Communication: CO oxidation by silver and gold cluster cations: identification of different active oxygen species

The oxidation of carbon monoxide with nitrous oxide on mass-selected Au(3)(+) and Ag(3)(+) clusters has been investigated under multicollision conditions in an octopole ion trap experiment. The comparative study reveals that for both gold and silver cations carbon dioxide is formed on the clusters. However, whereas in the case of Au(3)(+) the cluster itself acts as reactive species that facilitates the formation of CO(2) from N(2)O and CO, for silver the oxidized clusters Ag(3)O(x)(+) (n=1-3) are identified as active in the CO oxidation reaction. Thus, in the case of the silver cluster cations N(2)O is dissociated and one oxygen atom is suggested to directly react with CO, whereas a second kind of oxygen strongly bound to silver is acting as a substrate for the reaction.     

Hydration energies in the gas phase of select (MX)mM+ ions, where M+ = Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+, NH4+ and X- = F-, Cl-, Br-, I-, NO2-, NO3-. Observed magic numbers of (MX)mM+ ions and their possible significance

The sequential hydration energies and entropies with up to four water molecules were obtained for MXM(+) = NaFNa(+), NaClNa(+), NaBrNa(+), NaINa(+), NaNO(2)Na(+), NaNO(3)Na(+), KFK(+), KBrK(+), KIK(+), RbIRb(+), CsICs(+), NH(4)BrNH(4)(+), and NH(4)INH(4)(+) from the hydration equilibria in the gas phase with a reaction chamber attached to a mass spectrometer. The MXM(+) ions as well as (MX)(m)M(+) and higher charged ions such as (MX)(m)M(2)(2+) were obtained with electrospray. The observed trends of the hydration energies of MXM(+) with changing positive ion M(+) or the negative ion X(-) could be rationalized on the basis of simple electrostatics. The most important contribution to the (MXM-OH(2))(+) bond is the interaction of the permanent and induced dipole of water with the positive charge of the nearest-neighbor M(+) ion. The repulsion due to the water dipole and the more distant X(-) has a much smaller effect. Therefore, the bonding in (MXM-OH(2))(+) for constant M and different X ions changes very little. Similarly, for constant X and different M, the bonding follows the hydration energy trends observed for the naked M(+) ions. The sequential hydration bond energies for MXM(H(2)O)(n)(+) decrease with n in pairs, where for n = 1 and n = 2 the values are almost equal, followed by a drop in the values for n = 3 and n = 4, that again are almost equal. The hydration energies of (MX)(m)M(+) decrease with m. The mass spectra with NaCl, obtained with electrospray and observed in the absence of water vapor, show peaks of unusually high intensities (magic numbers) at m = 4, 13, and 22. Experiments with variable electrical potentials in the mass spectrometer interface showed that some but not all of the ion intensity differentiation leading to magic numbers is due to collision-induced decomposition of higher mass M(MX)(m)(+) and M(2)(MX)(m)(2+) ions in the interface. However, considerable magic character is retained in the absence of excitation. This result indicates that the magic ions are present also in the saturated solution of the droplets produced by electrospray and are thus representative of particularly stable nanocrystals in the saturated solution. Hydration equilibrium determinations in the gas phase demonstrated weaker hydration of the magic ion (NaCl)(4)Na(+).     

A kinetic study of Ca-containing ions reacting with O, O2, CO2 and H2O: implications for calcium ion chemistry in the upper atmosphere

A series of gas-phase reactions involving molecular Ca-containing ions was studied by the pulsed laser ablation of a calcite target to produce Ca(+) in a fast flow of He, followed by the addition of reagents downstream and detection of ions by quadrupole mass spectrometry. Most of the reactions that were studied are important for describing the chemistry of meteor-ablated calcium in the earth's upper atmosphere. The following rate coefficients were measured: k(CaO(+) + O --> Ca(+) + O(2)) = (4.2 +/- 2.8) x 10(-11) at 197 K and (6.3 +/- 3.0) x 10(-11) at 294 K; k(CaO(+) + CO --> Ca(+) + CO(2), 294 K) = (2.8 +/- 1.5) x 10(-10); k(Ca(+).CO(2) + O(2) --> CaO(2)(+) + CO(2), 294 K) = (1.2 +/- 0.5) x10(-10); k(Ca(+).CO(2) + H(2)O --> Ca(+).H(2)O + CO(2)) = (13.0 +/- 4.0) x 10(-10); and k(Ca(+).H(2)O + O(2) --> CaO(2)(+) + H(2)O, 294 K) = (4.0 +/- 2.5) x 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). The quoted uncertainties are a combination of the 1sigma standard errors in the kinetic data and the systematic errors in the models used to extract the rate coefficients. Rate coefficients were also obtained for the following recombination (also termed association) reactions in He bath gas: k(Ca(+).CO(2) + CO(2) --> Ca(+).(CO(2))(2), 294 K) = (2.6 +/- 1.0) x 10(-29); k(Ca(+).H(2)O + H(2)O --> Ca(+).(H(2)O)(2)) = (1.6 +/- 1.1) x 10(-27); and k(CaO(2)(+) + O(2) --> CaO(2)(+).O(2)) < 1 x 10(-31) cm(6) molecule(-2) s(-1). These recombination rate coefficients, as well as those for the ligand-switching reactions listed above, were then interpreted using a combination of high level quantum chemistry calculations and RRKM theory using an inverse Laplace transform solution of the master equation. The surprisingly slow reaction between CaO(+) and O was explained using quantum chemistry calculations on the lowest (2)A', (2)A' and (4)A' potential energy surfaces. These calculations indicate that reaction mostly occurs on the (2)A' surface, leading to production of Ca(+)((2)S) + O(2)((1)Delta(g)). The importance of this reaction for controlling the lifetime of Ca(+) in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere is then discussed.     

Competition of electron transfer, dissociation, and bond-forming processes in the reaction of the CO(2)(2+) dication with neutral CO(2)

The bimolecular reactivity of the CO(2)(2+) dication with neutral CO(2) is investigated using triple quadrupole and ion-ion coincidence mass spectrometry. Crucial for product analysis is the use of appropriate isotope labelling in the quadrupole experiments in order to distinguish the different reactive pathways. The main reaction corresponds to single-electron transfer from the neutral reagent to the dication, i.e. CO(2)(2+) + CO(2) --> 2CO(2)(+); this process is exothermic by almost 10 eV, if ground state monocations are formed. Interestingly, the results indicate that the CO(2)(+) ion formed when the dication accepts an electron dissociates far more readily than the CO(2)(+) ion formed from the neutral CO(2) molecule. This differentiation of the two CO(2)(+) products is rationalized by showing that the population of the key dissociative states of the CO(2)(+) monocation will be favoured from the CO(2)(2+) dication rather than from neutral CO(2). In addition, two bond-forming reactions are observed as minor channels, one of which leads to CO(+) and O(2)(+) as ionic products and the other affords a long-lived C(2)O(3)(2+) dication.     

Endohedral nickel and palladium atoms in metal clusters: analogy to endohedral noble gas atoms in fullerenes in polyhedra with five-fold symmetry

Nickel and palladium atoms with their closed-shell d(10) electronic configurations are encapsulated in the icosahedral clusters [Ni@Ni(10)E(2)(CO)(18)](4-)(E = Sb, Bi, Sb[rightward arrow]Ni(CO)(3), CH(3)Sn and n-C(4)H(9)Sn) and the geometrically related pentagonal antiprismatic cluster Pd@Bi(10)(4+) found in Bi(14)PdBr(16). Such endohedral d(10) atoms in pentagonal antiprismatic clusters are donors of zero skeletal electrons and interact only weakly with the atoms in the surrounding polyhedron so that they may be regarded as analogous to endohedral noble gases in fullerenes such as He@C(60). On the other hand, endohedral nickel and palladium atoms in 10- and 11-vertex flattened deltahedral bare metal clusters of group 13 metals without five-fold symmetry, such as Ni@E(10)(10-) found in Na(10)NiE(10)(E = Ga, In) and Pd@Tl(11)(7-) found in A(8)Tl(11)Pd (A = Cs, Rb, K), interact significantly with the cluster atoms, particularly those at the flattened vertices of the deltahedron. The role of endohedral d(10) atoms Ni and Pd in polyhedra with five-fold symmetry as "pseudo-noble-gases" can be related to their positions at the "composite divide" of the "Metallurgists' Periodic Table" proposed by H. E. N. Stone on the basis of alloy systematics as well as the equivalence of the five d orbitals in polyhedra with five-fold symmetry.     

Electron impact ionization of water-doped superfluid helium nanodroplets: observation of He(H(2)O)(n)(+) clusters

Electron impact mass spectra have been recorded for helium nanodroplets containing water clusters. In addition to identification of both H(+)(H(2)O)(n) and (H(2)O)(n)(+) ions in the gas phase, additional peaks are observed which are assigned to He(H(2)O)(n)(+) clusters for up to n=27. No clusters are detected with more than one helium atom attached. The interpretation of these findings is that quenching of (H(2)O)(n)(+) by the surrounding helium can cool the cluster to the point where not only is fragmentation to H(+)(H(2)O)(m) (where m < or = n-1) avoided, but also, in some cases, a helium atom can remain attached to the cluster ion as it escapes into the gas phase. Ab initio calculations suggest that the first step after ionization is the rapid formation of distinct H(3)O(+) and OH units within the (H(2)O)(n)(+) cluster. To explain the formation and survival of He(H(2)O)(n)(+) clusters through to detection, the H(3)O(+) is assumed to be located at the surface of the cluster with a dangling O-H bond to which a single helium atom can attach via a charge-induced dipole interaction. This study suggests that, like H(+)(H(2)O)(n) ions, the preferential location for the positive charge in large (H(2)O)(n)(+) clusters is on the surface rather than as a solvated ion in the interior of the cluster.     

Mechanism of extraction of the palladium(ii) thiocyanate complex by polyether foam

The mechanism of sorption of the palladium(II) thiocyanate complex by polyether-type Polyurethane foam has been investigated. At low thiocyanate concentration, palladium is most likely extracted as Pd(SCN)(2). The results obtained in the presence of enough thiocyanate for formation of the Pd(SCN)(4)(2-) complex are in disagreement with several possible mechanisms for sorption of the anionic metal complex by the foam, such as adsorption, solvent extraction, ligand addition or exchange, and weak or strong base anion-exchange. The extraction of Pd(SCN)(4)(2-) at high pH increased in the order Li(+)< Na(+) < Cs(+)< Rb(+) < K(+)< NH(4)(+) which is in good relation with the "cation-chelation" mechanism. This mechanism was also found predominant in the extraction of Pd(SCN)(4)(2-) complex from hydrochloric acid solutions.