On the generation and characterization of the spiro[2,5]octadienyl anion in the gas phase

Three routes have been explored in both a high-pressure chemical ionization (CI) source and a low-pressure Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) cell to generate the spiro2,5]octadienyl anion in the gas phase: (i) proton abstraction from spiro2,5]octa-4,6-diene; (ii) expulsion of trimethysilyl fluoride by phenyl ring participation following fluoride anion attack upon the silicon centre of 2-phenylethyl trimethylsilane; and (iii) collisionally induced dissociation (CID) of the carboxylate anion of 3-phenylpropanoic acid via carbon dioxide loss. From comparison of the CID spectra of various reference C₈H₉]^? ions with those of the C₈H₉]^? ions which could be generated via the routes (i) and (iii) in the CI source it can be concluded that only the third route yields a C₈H₉]^?ion whose CID spectrum is not inconsistent with the one expected for the spiro2,5]octadienyl anion. In the FT-ICR cell C₈H₉]^? ions are generated along all three routes; their structures have been identified by specific ion-molecule reactions and appear to be different. Route (i) yields an α-methyl benzyl anion, probably due to isomerization within the ion-molecule complex formed. An ortho-ethylphenyl anion is formed along route (ii), presumably due to an intramolecular ortho proton abstraction in the generated trimethylsilyl fluoride solvated 2-phenylethyl primary carbanion. The C₈H₉]^? ion formed along route (iii) shows reactions similar to those of the 1,1-dimethylcyclohexadienyl anion which is structurally related to the spiro2,5]octadienyl anion. Furthermore, the C₈H₉]^? ion generated via route (iii) reacts with hexafluorobenzene under expulsion of only one hydrogen fluoride molecule which contains exclusively one of the original phenyl ring hydrogen atoms. On the basis of all these observations it is therefore quite likely that the spiro2,5]octadienyl anion is formed by collisionally induced decarboxylation of the 3-phenylpropanoic acid carboxylate anion and can be a long-lived and stable species in the gas phase.