Heats of formation of isomeric [C, H4, O], [C, H3, N] and [C, H5, N] radical cations

The heats of formation of six radical cations have been calculated using ab initio MO methods at the MP4/6-31 + G(2df, p) level with MP2/6-31G(d, p)-optimized geometries. The theoretical values for ΔH⁰_f,298 (kJ/mol) of the radical ions considered are (experimental values in parentheses): methanol CH₃OH^+√: 854 (845); methyleneoxonium CH₂OH^+√₂: 815 (816); methyleneimine CH₂NH^+√: 1076 (1054); aminomethylene HCNH^+√₂: 1040 (1079); methylamine CH₃NH^+√₂: 863 (843) and methyleneammonium CH₂NH^+√₃: 855 (958). The calculated results thus confirm the discrepancy between experiment and theory on the heats of formation of nitrogen-containing radical cations. In the latter, the distonic species are calculated to be more stable than their classical isomers. The higher stability of the distonic ions has also been discussed. The recommended heat of formation of the methyleneiminium cation CH₂NH⁺₂ is 754 kJ/mol.