Sequential Bond Energies of Water to Na^+ (3s^0), Mg^+ (3s^1), and Al^+ (3s^2)

Abstract

Thresholds for collision-induced dissociation of M^+(H_2O), (x = 1-4, M = Na, Mg, and Al) with xenon are measured by using guided ion beam mass spectrometry. In all cases, the primary product is endothermic loss of one water molecule. The cross-section thresholds are interpreted to yield 0 K bond energies after accounting for the effects of multiple ion-molecule collisions, internal energy of the clusters, and dissociation lifetimes. Our results are in good agreement with previous experimental results for Na^(H_2O)_x, and in reasonable agreement with theoretical predictions for all systems. Trends in bond dissociation energies with increasing ligation and for the various metals studied are discussed.

Additional Information

© 1994 American Chemical Society. Received: December 21, 1993; In Final Form: February 11, 1994. We gratefully acknowledge C. W. Bauschlicher Jr. for providing us with the vibrational frequencies predicted for M^+(H_2O), (M = Mg, Al; x = 1-4). This work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Grant No. CHE-9221241.

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