Benzylammonium Thermometer Ions: Internal Energies of Ions Formed by Low Temperature Plasma and Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization.

The extent of internal energy deposition upon ion formation by low temperature plasma and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization was investigated using novel benzylammonium thermometer ions. C-N heterolytic bond dissociation enthalpies of nine 4-substituted benzylammoniums were calculated using CAM-B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p), which was significantly more accurate than B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p), MP2/6-311++G(d,p), and CBS-QB3 for calculating the enthalpies of 20 heterolytic dissociation reactions that were used to benchmark theory. All 4-substituted benzylammonium thermometer ions fragmented by a single pathway with comparable dissociation entropies, except 4-nitrobenzylammonium.