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Title: Hydrocarbon activation by gas-phase lanthanide cations: interaction of Pr/sup +/, Eu/sup +/, and Gd/sup +/ with small alkanes, cycloalkanes, and alkenes

Journal Article · · J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00209a002· OSTI ID:7247330

The authors describe ion beam studies of the interaction of gas-phase lanthanide ions, praseodymium (Pr/sup +/), europium (Eu/sup +/), and gadolinium (Gd/sup +/), with small alkanes, cycloalkanes, alkenes, and several oxygen-containing compounds. Only Gd/sup +/ is seen to activate C-H and C-C bonds of alkanes. The ground state electronic configuration of Gd/sup +/ (4f/sup 7/5d/sup 1/6s/sup 1/) is different from those of Pr/sup +/ (4f/sup 3/6s/sup 1/) and Eu/sup +/ (4f/sup 7/6s/sup 1/), leading to the conclusion that the f electrons play little part in the metal ion reactivity. Gd/sup +/ can be thought of as having two valence electrons, and indeed it reacts similarly to Sc/sup +/ and the other group 3 metal ions Y/sup +/ and La/sup +/, yielding products corresponding to elimination of hydrogen, alkanes, and alkenes. The elimination of neutral alkenes in the reaction of Gd/sup +/ with alkanes results in the formation of metal dialkyl or hydrido-alkyl complexes. This finding leads to estimates for the sum of two Gd/sup +/ sigma bond dissociation energies of between 110 and 130 kcal/mol. Gd/sup +/ and Pr/sup +/ react readily with alkenes, yielding mostly dehydrogenation products along with smaller amounts of C-C bond cleavage products. Reactions of Gd/sup +/ and Pr/sup +/ with oxygen-containing species such as nitric oxide, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acetone yield primarily the metal oxide ions and provide a lower limit for D(M/sup +/-O) of 179 kcal/mol, in good agreement with literature values of D(Pr/sup +/-O) = 188.4 +/- 5.2 kcal/mol and D(Gd/sup +/-0) = 181.0 +/- 4.4 kcal/mol. In keeping with the strong metal sigma bonds, Gd/sup +/ is also seen to readily react with formaldehyde to eliminate CO and form GdH/sub 2//sup +/.

Research Organization:
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (USA)
OSTI ID:
7247330
Journal Information:
J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 110:1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English