Gas phase generation of the neutrals H2CCCCO, HCCCCDO and CCCHCHO from anionic precursors. Rearrangements of HCCCCDO and CCCHCHO. A joint experimental and theoretical study.

The reaction between O-. and MeO-CH2-C identical to C-CDO in the ion source of a VG ZAB 2HF mass spectrometer gives a number of product anions including [H2CCCCO]-. and [HCCCCDO]-. (in the ratio 1:5). Neutralisation-reionisation (NR+) of [H2CCCCO]-. results in the sequential two-electron vertical oxidation [H2CCCCO]-.-->H2CCCCO-->[H2CCCCO](+.). Singlet H2CCCCO lies 158 kJ mol-1 below the triplet [at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory]. The majority of neutrals H2CCCCO are stable for the microsecond duration of the NR experiment, but some are energized and decompose to give H2CCC and CO. A similar NR+ experiment with [HCCCCDO]-. yields neutrals HCCCCDO, some of which are excited and rearrange. Calculations show that it is the singlet form of HCCCCHO which rearranges (the singlet lies 36 kJ mol-1 above the ground state triplet): the rearrangement occurs by the sequential H transfer process, HCCCCHO-->HCC(CH)CO<--H2CCCCO. Neutral HCCCCHO needs an excess energy of only 43 kJ mol-1 to effect this reaction, which is exothermic by 230 kJ mol-1. Both HCC(CH)CO and H2CCCCO formed in this way should have sufficient excess energy to cause some loss of CO. The anions [CC(CH)CHO]-. and [CC(CD)CHO]-. are formed in the ion source of the mass spectrometer by the reactions of HO- with Me3SiC identical to C-CH = CHOMe and Me3SiC identical to C-CD = CHOMe respectively. NR+ of these anions indicate that energized forms of CC(CH)CHO and CC(CD)CHO may rearrange to isomer(s) which decompose by loss of CO. Singlet CC(CH)CHO rearranges to HCC(CH)CO and H2CCCCO, both of which are energized and fragment by loss of CO.