Mechanistic Aspects of Gas-Phase Hydrogen-Atom Transfer from Methane to [CO].+and [SiO].+: Why Do They Differ?

Regioselective Bond-Forming and Hydrolysis Reactions of Doubly Charged Vanadium Oxide Anions in the Gas Phase

The gas-phase reactivity of vanadium-containing dianions, NaV3O92− and its hydrated form H2NaV3O102−, were probed towards sulphur dioxide at room temperature by ion-molecule reaction (IMR) experiments in the collision cell of an ion trap mass spectrometer. The sequential addition of two SO2 molecules to the NaV3O92− dianion leads to the breakage of the stable V3O9 backbone, resulting in a charge separation process with the formation of new V-O and S-O bonds. On the contrary, the H2NaV3O102− hydroxide species reacts with SO2, promoting regioselective hydrolysis and bond-forming processes, the latter similar to that observed for the NaV3O92− reactant anion. Kinetic analysis shows that these reactions are fast and efficient with rate constants of the 10−9 (±30) cm3 s−1 molecule−1 order of magnitude.

Intracluster Sulphur Dioxide Oxidation by Sodium Chlorite Anions: A Mass Spectrometric Study

The reactivity of [NaL·ClO₂]⁻ cluster anions (L = ClO_x⁻; x = 0–3) with sulphur dioxide has been investigated in the gas phase by ion–molecule reaction experiments (IMR) performed in an in-house modified Ion Trap mass spectrometer (IT-MS). The kinetic analysis revealed that SO₂ is efficiently oxidised by oxygen-atom (OAT), oxygen-ion (OIT) and double oxygen transfer (DOT) reactions. The main difference from the previously investigated free reactive ClO₂⁻ is the occurrence of intracluster OIT and DOT processes, which are mediated by the different ligands of the chlorite anion. This gas-phase study highlights the importance of studying the intrinsic properties of simple reacting species, with the aim of elucidating the elementary steps of complex processes occurring in solution, such as the oxidation of sulphur dioxide.

Theoretical Study of Silicon Monoxide Reactions with Ammonia and Methane

High-accuracy calculations were performed to study the mechanisms of the reactions between the diatomic silicon monoxide (SiO) with NH₃ and CH₄. These reactions are relevant to the SiO-related astrochemistry and atmospheric chemistry as well as the activation of the N-H and C-H bonds by the SiO triple bond. Energetic data used in the construction of potential energy surfaces describing the SiO + NH₃/CH₄ reactions were obtained at the coupled-cluster theory with extrapolation to the complete basis set limit (CCSD(T)/CBS) using DFT/B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ optimized geometries. Standard heats of formation of a series of small Si-molecules were predicted. Insertion of SiO into the N-H bond is exothermic with a small energy barrier of ∼8 kcal/mol with respect to the SiO + NH₃ reactants, whereas the C-H bond activation by SiO involves a higher energy barrier of 45 kcal/mol. Eight product channels are opened in the SiO + NH₃ reaction including dehydrations giving HNSi/HSiN and dehydrogenations. These reactions are endothermic by 16-119 kcal/mol (calculated at 298.15 K) with the CCSD(T)/CBS energy barriers of 21-128 kcal/mol. The most stable set of products, HNSi + H₂O, was also the product of the reaction pathway having lowest energy barrier of 21 kcal/mol. Ten product channels of the SiO + CH₄ reaction including decarbonylation, dehydration, dehydrogenation, and formation of Si + CH₃OH are endothermic by 19-118 kcal/mol with the energy barriers in the range of 71-126 kcal/mol. The formation of H₂CSiO + H₂O has the lowest energy barrier of 71 kcal/mol, whereas the most stable set of products, SiH₄ + CO, is formed via a higher energy barrier of 90 kcal/mol. Accordingly, while SiO can break the N-H bond of ammonia without the assistance of other molecules, it is not able to break the C-H bond of methane.

Thermal Methane Activation by [Si2 O5 ].+ and [Si2 O5 H2 ].+ : Reactivity Enhancement by Hydrogenation

The thermal reactions of methane with the oxygen-rich cluster cations [Si₂ O₅ ]^⋅+ and [Si₂ O₅ H₂ ]^⋅+ have been examined using Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry in conjunction with state-of-the-art quantum chemical calculations. In contrast to the inertness of [Si₂ O₅ ]^.+ towards methane, the hydrogenated cluster [Si₂ O₅ H₂ ]^.+ brings about hydrogen-atom transfer (HAT) from methane with an efficiency of 28 % relative to the collision rate. The mechanisms of this process have been investigated in detail and the reasons for the striking reactivity difference of the two cluster ions have been revealed.

Penetrating the Elusive Mechanism of Copper-Mediated Fluoromethylation in the Presence of Oxygen through the Gas-Phase Reactivity of Well-Defined [LCuO](+) Complexes with Fluoromethanes (CH(4-n)Fn, n = 1-3)

Traveling wave ion mobility spectrometry (TWIMS) isomer separation was exploited to react the particularly well-defined ionic species [LCuO](+) (L = 1,10-phenanthroline) with the neutral fluoromethane substrates CH(4-n)Fn (n = 1-3) in the gas phase. Experimentally, the monofluoromethane substrate (n = 1) undergoes both hydrogen-atom transfer, forming the copper hydroxide complex [LCuOH](•+) and concomitantly a CH2F(•) radical, and oxygen-atom transfer, yielding the observable ionic product [LCu](+) plus the neutral oxidized substrate [C,H3,O,F]. DFT calculations reveal that the mechanism for both product channels relies on the initial C-H bond activation of the substrate. Compared to nonfluorinated methane, the addition of fluorine to the substrate assists the reactivity through a lowering of the C-H bond energy and reaction preorganization (through noncovalent interaction in the encounter complex). A two-state reactivity scenario is mandatory for the oxidation, which competitively results in the unusual fluoromethanol product, CH2FOH, or the decomposed products, CH2O and HF, with the latter channel being kinetically disfavored. Difluoromethane (n = 2) is predicted to undergo the analogous reactions at room temperature, although the reactions are less favored than those of monofluoromethane. The reaction of trifluoromethane (n = 3, fluoroform) through C-H activation is kinetically hindered under ambient conditions but might be expected to occur in the condensed phase upon heating or with further lowering of reaction barriers through templation with counterions, such as potassium. Overall, formation of CH(3-n)Fn(•) and CH(3-n)FnOH occurs under relatively gentle energetic conditions, which sheds light on their potential as reactive intermediates in fluoromethylation reactions mediated by copper in the presence of oxygen.

Methane activation by metal-free Lewis acid centers only – a computational design and mechanism study

The design strategy and mechanism of methane activation by metal-free Lewis acidic silylboranes is investigated.

Activation of Methane by the Pyridine Radical Cation and its Substituted Forms in the Gas Phase

We present an experimental study of methane activation by pyridine cation and its substituents in the gas phase. Mass spectrometric experiments in an ion trap demonstrate that pyridine cation and some of its substituent cations are able to react with methane. The deuterated methane experiment has confirmed that the hydrogen atom in the ionic product of reaction does come from methane. The collected information about kinetic isotope effects has been used to distinguish the nature of the bond activation as a hydrogen abstraction. Furthermore, experimental results demonstrated that the substituent groups on the pyridine ring can crucially influence their reactivity in methane bond activation processes. Density functional calculation (DFT) was employed to study the electronic structures of the complex and reaction mechanism of CH4+C5H5N(+). The calculations confirmed the hypothesis from the experimental observation, namely, the reaction is rapid with no energy barrier.