Sensitivity of charge transfer reactions to hydrocarbon ion structures

Charge transfer reactivities of hydrocarbon ions have been measured with time-of-flight techniques, and results correlated with theoretical structures computed by self-consistent field molecular orbital methods. Recombination energies, ion structures, heats of formation, reaction energetics and relative charge transfer cross-sections are presented for molecular and fragment ions produced by electron bombardment ionization of CH₄, C₂H₄, C₂H₆, C₃H₈ and C₄H₁₀ molecules. Even-electron bridged cations have low ion recombination energies and relatively low charge transfer cross-sections as compared with odd-electron hydrocarbon cations.