Gas-phase chemistry of first-row transition-metal- and metal-containing ions with alkyl cyanides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/om00100a003

The gas-phase ion/molecule reactions of first-row transition-metal ions with a series of alkyl cyanides is discussed, with the focus on the chemistry of Co⁺. As the length of the alkyl chain of the nitrile increases, cleavage of C-C bonds far from the functional group is observed, which supports an initial end-on interaction with the -CN group. When a single ligand is attached to the metal, the resulting chemistry appears to be very different from that observed for the bare metal ion. The steric nature of the ligand effects is discussed. The observed ion/molecule reactions yield similar results to those suggested by collisional activation studies of transition-metal ion/alkyl cyanide complexes.