Anna Troiani

Methane Activation by Metal-Free Radical Cations : Experimental Insight into the Reaction Intermediate

A precise jab to methane: The SO(2)(*+) radical cation (see figure) effectively activates CH(4) at room temperature through a [H(3)C(*)...HOSO(+)] methyl intermediate isolated in the gas phase by mass spectrometry. Methanol and ionized methyl hydrogen sulfoxylate, CH(3)OSOH(*+), are formed by selective, direct attack of the incipient methyl radical at the O atom of the intermediate. The reaction shows radical and charge effects in the activation of methane by metal-free radical cations.

Experimental Detection of Tetraoxygen

Although suggested by Lewis in 1924 and theoretically predicted, O4 has so far proved extremely elusive, defying all attempts at the positive experimental detection of a bound, intact O4 species. The search has now been brought to an end by the conclusive proof, achieved by neutralization-re-ionization mass spectrometry, of the existence of intact O4 as a gas-phase species with a lifetime in excess of 1 μs, whose dissociation requires overcoming a barrier of the order of 10 kcal mol-1 .

Double CH activation of ethane by metal-free SO2.+ radical cations

The room-temperature C-H activation of ethane by metal-free SO(2)(*+) radical cations has been investigated under different pressure regimes by mass spectrometric techniques. The major reaction channel is the conversion of ethane to ethylene accompanied by the formation of H(2)SO(2)(*+), the radical cation of sulfoxylic acid. The mechanism of the double C-H activation, in the absence of the single activation product HSO(2)(+), is elucidated by kinetic studies and quantum chemical calculations. Under near single-collision conditions the reaction occurs with rate constant k=1.0 x 10(-9) (+/-30%) cm(3) s(-1) molecule(-1), efficiency=90%, kinetic isotope effect k(H)/k(D)=1.1, and partial H/D scrambling. The theoretical analysis shows that the interaction of SO(2)(*+) with ethane through an oxygen atom directly leads to the C-H activation intermediate. The interaction through sulfur leads to an encounter complex that rapidly converts to the same intermediate. The double C-H activation occurs by a reaction path that lies below the reactants and involves intermediates separated by very low energy barriers, which include a complex of the ethyl cation suitable to undergo H/D scrambling. Key issues in the observed reactivity are electron-transfer processes, in which a crucial role is played by geometrical constraints. The work shows how mechanistic details disclosed by the reactions of metal-free electrophiles may contribute to the current understanding of the C-H activation of ethane.

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

The reactivity of the two diatomic congeneric systems [CO](·+) and [SiO](·+) towards methane has been investigated by means of mass spectrometry and quantum-chemical calculations. While [CO](·+) gives rise to three different reaction channels, [SiO](·+) reacts only by hydrogen-atom transfer (HAT) from methane under thermal conditions. A theoretical analysis of the respective HAT processes reveals two distinctly different mechanistic pathways for [CO](·+) and [SiO](·+), and a comparison to the higher metal oxides of Group 14 emphasizes the particular role of carbon as a second-row p element.

Bile salt aggregates in the gas phase: an electrospray ionization mass spectrometric study.

Helical and ordered structures have previously been identified by X-ray diffraction analysis in crystals and fibers of bile salts, and proposed as models of the micellar aggregates formed by trimeric or dimeric units of dihydroxy and trihydroxy salts, respectively. These models were supported by the results of studies of micellar bile salt solutions performed with different experimental techniques. The study has now been extended to the gas phase by utilizing electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESIMS) to investigate the formation and the composition of aggregates stabilized by noncovalent interactions, including polar (ion-ion, ion-dipole, dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonding etc.) and apolar (van der Waals and repulsive) interactions. The positive and negative ESIMS spectra of sodium glycodeoxycholate (NaGDC), taurodeoxycholate (NaTDC), glycocholate (NaGC), and taurocholate (NaTC) aqueous solutions, recorded under different experimental conditions, show in the first place that aggregates analogous to those present in micellar solutions do also exist in the gas phase. Furthermore, consistently with the condensed-phase model, the positive-ion spectra show that the trimers are the most stable oligomers among the aggregates of dihydroxy salts (NaGDC and NaTDC) whilst the dimers are the most stable among the aggregates of trihydroxy salts (NaGC and NaTC). Moreover, the binding energy of the constituent glycocholate salt units in most gaseous oligomers exceeds that of the corresponding taurocholate units. The ESIMS evidence has been confirmed by vapor-pressure measurements performed on NaGC and NaTC crystals and NaGDC and NaTDC fibers, the results of which show that the evaporation enthalpy of glycocholate exceeds that of taurocholate by some 50 kJ mol(-1).

Charged and neutral NO3 isomers from the ionization of NOx and O3 mixtures.

Mass spectrometric techniques have been utilized in conjunction with theoretical methods to detect and characterize new species formed upon ionization of gaseous mixtures containing ozone and an NOx oxide. NO5+ as well as isomeric NO4+ and NO3+ ions have been identified. Moreover, utilization of neutralization reionization mass spectrometry (NRMS) has provided strong evidence for, if not a conclusive demonstration of, the existence of a new NO3 isomer, in addition to the long-known trigonal radical, as a gaseous species with a lifetime in excess of approximately 1 microsecond.

Gas-phase reactions of nitronium ions with acetylene and ethylene: an experimental and theoretical study

A comparative study of the gas-phase reactions of NO2+ with acetylene and ethylene was performed by using FT-ICR, MIKE, CAD, and NfR/ CA mass spectrometric techniques, in conjunction with ab initio calculations at the MP2/6-31+G* level of theory. Both reactions proceed according to the same mechanism, that is, 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, but yield products of different stability. The C2H2NO2+ adduct from acetylene has an aromatic character and hence is highly stabilized with respect to the C2H4NO2+ adduct from ethylene. Both cycloadducts tend to isomerize into O-nitroso derivatives, that is, nitrosated ketene and nitrosated acetaldehyde, which represent the thermodynamically most stable products from the addition of NO2+ to acetylene and ethylene, respectively. As prototypal examples of the reactivity of free nitronium ions with most simple pi systems, the reactions investigated are useful starting points to model the mechanism of aromatic nitration.

Sodium glycodeoxycholate and glycocholate mixed aggregates in gas and solution phases.

This paper deals with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESIMS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements in order to provide information on the existence, aggregation, composition, and structure of the two-component aggregates of sodium glycocholate (NaGC) and sodium glycodeoxycholate (NaGDC) in the gas and solution phases. Five samples, containing 100% NaGC and 100% NaGDC, and NaGDC/NaGC molar ratios of 3 (75D), 1 (50D), and 1/3 (25D), have been analyzed by ESIMS in positive-ion detection mode starting from 10(-3) and 10(-2) M total bile salt concentration in aqueous solutions. Generally, dimers or trimers prevail in the 100% NaGC or NaGDC samples, respectively, as observed in the preceding one-component ESIMS measurements and in agreement with the proposed micellar aggregate structures in aqueous solution. Moreover, it is observed that the composition of multimers in the samples 75D, 50D, and 25D deviates from the one expected on the basis of a random association of the monomers, the NaGDC contribution generally prevailing on the NaGC one. It happens also under the same percentage condition (50D sample), in agreement with a greater aggregation ability of NaGDC with respect to NaGC. SAXS and DLS data were recorded on six samples containing a NaGC+NaGDC 40 mM total concentration, one bile salt having 40, 32, 24, 16, 8, and 0 mM concentration and the other the complementary one, keeping constant the NaCl concentration (0.6 M). The NaGDC 40 mM sample presents SAXS curves in agreement with a cylindrical shape of the aggregates as shown in a previous paper. For the bile salt mixtures, the progressive decrease of the sizes and change of the aggregate morphology, toward a globular-like geometry, are observed by increasing the NaGC fraction, thus confirming the hypothesis about the ability of trihydroxy salts to inhibit the growth of dihydroxy salt aggregates. Fits on the basis of cylindrical model can be accomplished for all the SAXS spectra, however, when the extracted cylinder parameters are used to estimate theoretical hydrodynamic radii a reasonable agreement is obtained only for the samples at high fraction of NaGDC (NaGDC>or=24 mM).

Direct Experimental Evidence for the H2O+O2− Charge Transfer Complex: Crucial Support to Atmospheric Photonucleation Theory

Where does rain come from? The first experimental evidence for the existence of the (H(2)O(+)O(2)(-)) charge transfer complex, predicted to play a key role as a nucleation center for atmospheric vapor photonucleation (see picture), is provided by the powerful neutralization - reionization mass spectrometric technique.

Water activation by SO2˙+ ions: an effective source of OH˙ radicals

A novel O-H bond activation reaction is reported: thermal SO(2)(*+) radical cations activate water in the gas phase forming OH* radicals with 100% efficiency.