Proton transfer between hydrogen halides and dimethylether in nitrogen matrices. An example of infrared-induced transfer

The infrared absorption of mixtures of dimethyl ether and hydrogen halide (HX) in nitrogen at 13 K display relatively narrow bands in the range 650–800 cm⁻¹ with an isotopic ratio ν_H/ν_D larger than 1.4 and weakly halogen dependent; these features are assigned to the antisymmetric O…H…O stretching within the (CH₃)₂ O…H…O(CH₃)₂]⁺X⁻ ion pair. With HI—ether mixtures, the intensity of the 660 cm⁻¹ band decreases under infrared irradiation of the matrix, which might be due to the transfer of the proton back to the I⁻ anion.