Determination of metal-hydrogen bond dissociation energies by the deprotonation of transition metal hydride ions: application to MnH+

ICR trapped ion techniques are used to examine the kinetics of proton transfer from MnH⁺ (formed as a fragment ion from HMn (CO)₅ by electron impact) to bases of varying strength. Deprotonation is rapid with bases whose proton affinity exceeds 196±3 kcal mol^?1. This value for PA (Mn) yields the homolytic bond dissociation energy D⁰(Mn⁺-H) = 53±5 kcal mol^?1.