Bimolecular Gas-Phase Reactions of d-Block Transition-Metal Cations With Dimethyl Peroxide: Trends Across the Periodic Table

Vanadium, niobium and tantalum complexes with terminal sulfur radical ligands

Sulfur radicals terminally bound to the metal center can be considered as the one-electron reduction products of complexes with terminal sulfido ligands which serve as the reactive sites in enzymes and precursors. However, there is limited information regarding this kind of metal stabilized sulfur radical, which contrasts the more commonly known metal stabilized thiyl radical. In this work, we report the preparation of vanadium, niobium and tantalum radical complexes in the form of M(O)(S)F₂ from the reactions of laser-ablated metal atoms and SOF₂ in cryogenic matrixes. Combined with the results from infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations, the sulfur ligand in M(O)(S)F₂ is characterized to be a terminally bound radical with the unpaired electron located on the sulfur 3p orbital. Besides this radical complex, calculations also predict the existence of MF₂(η²-SO) with a side-on SO ligand, but this less stable isomer is not observed as a result of high exothermicity along with its formation from metal atoms and SOF₂ that is large enough to overcome the energy barrier towards the occurrence of M(O)(S)F₂.

Formation of peptide radical cations (m+·) in electron capture dissociation of peptides adducted with group IIB metal ions

Peptides adducted with different divalent Group IIB metal ions (Zn(2+), Cd(2+), and Hg(2+)) were found to give very different ECD mass spectra. ECD of Zn(2+) adducted peptides gave series of c-/z-type fragment ions with and without metal ions. ECD of Cd(2+) and Hg(2+) adducted model peptides gave mostly a-type fragment ions with M(+•) and fragment ions corresponding to losses of neutral side chain from M(+•). No detectable a-ions could be observed in ECD spectra of Zn(2+) adducted peptides. We rationalized the present findings by invoking both proton-electron recombination and metal-ion reduction processes. As previously postulated, divalent metal-ions adducted peptides could adopt several forms, including (a) [M + Cat](2+), (b) [(M + Cat - H) + H](2+), and (c) [(M + Cat - 2H) + 2H](2+). The relative population of these precursor ions depends largely on the acidity of the metal-ion peptide complexes. Peptides adducted with divalent metal-ions of small ionic radii (i.e., Zn(2+)) would form predominantly species (b) and (c); whereas peptides adducted with metal ions of larger ionic radii (i.e., Hg(2+)) would adopt predominantly species (a). Species (b) and (c) are believed to be essential for proton-electron recombination process to give c-/z-type fragments via the labile ketylamino radical intermediates. Species (c) is particularly important for the formation of non-metalated c-/z-type fragments. Without any mobile protons, species (a) are believed to undergo metal ion reduction and subsequently induce spontaneous electron transfer from the peptide moiety to the charge-reduced metal ions. Depending on the exothermicity of the electron transfer reaction, the peptide radical cations might be formed with substantial internal energy and might undergo further dissociation to give structural related fragment ions.

Electron Transfer and Ligand Addition to Atomic Mercury Cations in the Gas Phase: Kinetic and Equilibrium Studies at 295 K

Results are reported for experimental measurements of the room-temperature chemical reactions between ground-state Hg*+ ions and 16 important environmental and biological gases: SF6, CO, CO2, N2O, D2O, CH4, CH3F, O2, CH3Cl, OCS, CS2, NH3, C6F6, NO2, NO*, and C6H6. The inductively coupled plasma/selected-ion flow tube tandem mass spectrometer used for these measurements has provided both rate and equilibrium constants. Efficient electron transfer (>19%) is observed with CS2, NH3, C6F6, NO2, NO*, and C6H6, molecular addition occurs with D2O, CH4, CH3F, CH3Cl, and OCS, and SF6, CO, CO2, N2O, and O2 showed no measurable reactivity with Hg*+. Theory is used to explore the stabilities and structures of both the observed and unobserved molecular adducts of Hg*+, and reasonable agreement is obtained with experimental observations, given the uncertainties of the theory and experiments. A correlation is reported between the Hg*+ and proton affinities of the ligands investigated. Solvation of Hg*+ with formic acid was observed to increase the rate of electron transfer from NO* by more than 20%.

Methane activation by chromium oxide cations in the gas phase: A theoretical study

Density Functional Theory, in its B3LYP formulation, was used to explore quantitative details of the potential energy hypersurfaces for the C-H bond activation reaction of methane by chromium dioxide cation. Both doublet ground and quartet excited states of the cation were considered, and all the minima and transition states localized along the paths leading to the formation of the experimentally observed products were characterized. All the calculated paths involve spin inversions that decrease the barrier heights of the involved transition states but do not play a significant role. Reaction pathways were also studied employing the nonhybrid BP86 functional, the reparametrized B3LYP* functional, and the CCSD(T) approach. Because other examples in the literature indicate that sequential ligation enhances the reactivity of bare transition metals cations, the state-selective reactivity of the chromium monoxide cation with respect to methane was also investigated and compared with that of the bare cation.

Potential energy surface for activation of methane by Pt(+): a combined guided ion beam and DFT study

A guided-ion beam tandem mass spectrometer is used to study the reactions of Pt(+) with methane, PtCH(2)(+) with H(2) and D(2), and collision-induced dissociation of PtCH(4)(+) and PtCH(2)(+) with Xe. These studies experimentally probe the potential energy surface for the activation of methane by Pt(+). For the reaction of Pt(+) with methane, dehydrogenation to form PtCH(2)(+) + H(2) is exothermic, efficient, and the only process observed at low energies. PtH(+), formed in a simple C-H bond cleavage, dominates the product spectrum at high energies. The observation of a PtH(2)(+) product provides evidence that methane activation proceeds via a (H)(2)PtCH(2)(+) intermediate. Modeling of the endothermic reaction cross sections yields the 0 K bond dissociation energies in eV (kJ/mol) of D(0)(Pt(+)-H) = 2.81 +/- 0.05 (271 +/- 5), D(0)(Pt(+)-2H) = 6.00 +/- 0.12 (579 +/- 12), D(0)(Pt(+)-C) = 5.43 +/- 0.05 (524 +/- 5), D(0)(Pt(+)-CH) = 5.56 +/- 0.10 (536 +/- 10), and D(0)(Pt(+)-CH(3)) = 2.67 +/- 0.08 (258 +/- 8). D(0)(Pt(+)-CH(2)) = 4.80 +/- 0.03 eV (463 +/- 3 kJ/mol) is determined by measuring the forward and reverse reaction rates for Pt(+) + CH(4) right harpoon over left harpoon PtCH(2)(+) + H(2) at thermal energy. We find extensive hydrogen scrambling in the reaction of PtCH(2)(+) with D(2). Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of PtCH(4)(+), identified as the H-Pt(+)-CH(3) intermediate, with Xe reveals a bond energy of 1.77 +/- 0.08 eV (171 +/- 8 kJ/mol) relative to Pt(+) + CH(4). The experimental thermochemistry is favorably compared with density functional theory calculations (B3LYP using several basis sets), which also establish the electronic structures of these species and provide insight into the reaction mechanism. Results for the reaction of Pt(+) with methane are compared with those for the analogous palladium system and the differences in reactivity and mechanism are discussed.

Analysis of diacyl peroxides by Ag+ coordination ionspray tandem mass spectrometry: free radical pathways of complex decomposition

Organic peroxides have significance in organic synthesis and biological processes. Characterization of these compounds with weak O-O bonds is sometimes difficult due to their thermal instability and sensitivity to acid or base. Coordination of diacyl peroxides with AgBF4 provides a means for analysis of these compounds by coordination ionspray tandem mass spectrometry (CIS-MS/MS). Precursor ion (Q1) scans of acetyl benzoyl peroxide give two Ag+ adducts, [M + Ag + solvent]+ and [M + Ag + M]+. These silver ion adducts can be selectively dissociated (CID) to give unique structural information about the analyte. Decomposition of the [M + Ag + solvent]+ adduct generates fragmentation products due to apparent homolytic cleavage of the O-O bond followed by decarboxylation of the resultant radicals. The bis-diacylperoxide complex, [M + Ag + M]+ gives CID pathways that involve homolysis of the (O-O bond and free radical cross-coupling of the two diacyl peroxides coordinated to the silver ion, i.e. formation of dibenzoyl peroxide, phenyl benzoate, and biphenyl from acetyl benzoyl peroxide. The observation of free radical CID modes is uncommon in mass spectrometry but these pathways are consistent with well-known solution and gas phase processes for peroxide compounds. The proposed fragmentation pathways have been supported by experiments with (18)O and deuterated substrates. This technique can be applied to analyze diacyl peroxides with different substituents as well.