Mechanistic aspects and elementary steps of N-H bond activation of ammonia and C-N coupling induced by gas-phase ions: a combined experimental/computational exercise

In the last decades, N-H bond activation of ammonia and C-N coupling processes have formed the focus of broad research activities. More recently, gas-phase experiments combined with computational studies have provided rather detailed insights into the mechanisms and the elementary steps of these two reaction types. Some of the multifarious observations made and results obtained for these two processes mediated by gaseous "bare" or ligated ions are outlined in this review article.