Activation of C-H Bonds in Pt(+) + x CH4 Reactions, where x = 1-4: Identification of the Platinum Dimethyl Cation.

Activation of C-H bonds in the sequential reactions of Pt(+) + x(CH4/CD4), where x = 1-4, have been investigated using infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. Pt(+) cations are formed by laser ablation and exposed to controlled amounts of CH4/CD4 leading to [Pt,xC,(4x-2)H/D](+) dehydrogenation products. Irradiation of these products in the 400-2100 cm(-1) range leads to CH4/CD4 loss from the x = 3 and 4 products, whereas PtCH2(+)/PtCD2(+) products do not decompose at all, and x = 2 products dissociate only when formed from a higher order product.

Hydration Enthalpies of Ba(2+)(H2O)x, x = 1-8: A Threshold Collision-Induced Dissociation and Computational Investigation.

The sequential bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of Ba(2+)(H2O)x complexes, where x = 1-8, are determined using threshold collision-induced dissociation (TCID) in a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer. The electrospray ionization source generates complexes ranging in size from x = 6 to x = 8 with smaller complexes, x = 1-5, formed by an in-source fragmentation technique. The only products observed result from sequential loss of water ligands.