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The goals of the present study were (a) to create positively charged organo-uranyl complexes with general formula [UO2 (R)]+ (eg, R═CH3 and CH2 CH3 ) by decarboxylation of [UO2 (O2 C─R)]+ precursors and (b) to identify the pathways by which the complexes, if formed, dissociate by collisional activation or otherwise react when exposed to gas-phase H2 O. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of both [UO2 (O2 C─CH3 )]+ and [UO2 (O2 C─CH2 CH3 )]+ causes H+ transfer and elimination of a ketene to leave [UO2 (OH)]+ . However, CID of the alkoxides [UO2 (OCH2 CH3 )]+ and [UO2 (OCH2 CH2 CH3 )]+ produced [UO2 (CH3 )]+ and [UO2 (CH2 CH3 )]+ , respectively. Isolation of [UO2 (CH3 )]+ and [UO2 (CH2 CH3 )]+ for reaction with H2 O caused formation of [UO2 (H2 O)]+ by elimination of ·CH3 and ·CH2 CH3 : Hydrolysis was not observed. CID of the acrylate and benzoate versions of the complexes, [UO2 (O2 C─CH═CH2 )]+ and [UO2 (O2 C─C6 H5 )]+ , caused decarboxylation to leave [UO2 (CH═CH2 )]+ and [UO2 (C6 H5 )]+ , respectively. These organometallic species do react with H2 O to produce [UO2 (OH)]+ , and loss of the respective radicals to leave [UO2 (H2 O)]+ was not detected. Density functional theory calculations suggest that formation of [UO2 (OH)]+ , rather than the hydrated UV O2+ , cation is energetically favored regardless of the precursor ion. However, for the [UO2 (CH3 )]+ and [UO2 (CH2 CH3 )]+ precursors, the transition state energy for proton transfer to generate [UO2 (OH)]+ and the associated neutral alkanes is higher than the path involving direct elimination of the organic neutral to form [UO2 (H2 O)]+ . The situation is reversed for the [UO2 (CH═CH2 )]+ and [UO2 (C6 H5 )]+ precursors: The transition state for proton transfer is lower than the energy required for creation of [UO2 (H2 O)]+ by elimination of CH═CH2 or C6 H5 radical.

Because of the high stability and inertness of the U=O bonds, activation and/or functionalization of UO22+ and UO2+ remain challenging tasks. We show here that collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the uranyl-propiolate cation, [UVIO2(O2C-C≡CH)]+, can be used to prepare [UVIO2(C≡CH)]+ in the gas phase by decarboxylation. Remarkably, CID of [UVIO2(C≡CH)]+ caused elimination of CO to create [OUVICH]+, thus providing a new example of a well-defined substitution of an “yl” oxo ligand of UVIO22+ in a unimolecular reaction. Relative energies for candidate structures based on density functional theory calculations suggest that the [OUVICH]+ ion is a uranium-methylidyne product, with a U≡C triple bond composed of one σ-bond with contributions from the U df and C sp hybrid orbitals, and two π-bonds with contributions from the U df and C p orbitals. Upon isolation, without imposed collisional activation, [OUVICH]+ appears to react spontaneously with O2 to produce [UVO2]+.

Electrospray ionization and multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry were used to study the collision-induced dissociation of methanol-coordinated copper-acetate cations, and the ion-molecule reactions of specific product ions. Our experiments led to the discovery of unusual gas-phase ions with compositions such as [Cu(CO2)(CH3OH)]+ and [Cu(N2)(CH3OH)]+. The latter is generated by spontaneous exchange of CO2 for N2 in an ion-molecule reaction. Isotopic labeling studies and high mass-resolution measurements provide data to support the product ion composition assignments. Density functional theory calculations corroborate the experimental observations, both with respect to the preferential decarboxylation over methanol ligand elimination, and the spontaneous nature of the ion-molecule reactions.

We recently reported a detailed investigation of the collision-induced dissociation (CID) of [UO2 (NO3 )3 ]- and [UO2 (NO3 )2 (O2 )]- in a linear ion trap mass spectrometer (J. Mass Spectrom. DOI:10.1002/jms.4705). Here, we describe the CID of [UO2 (NO3 )(O2 )]- which is created directly by ESI, or indirectly by simple elimination of O2 from [UO2 (NO3 )(O2 )2 ]- . CID of [UO2 (NO3 )(O2 )]- creates product ions as at m/z 332 and m/z 318. The former may be formed directly by elimination of O2 , while the latter required decomposition of a nitrate ligand and elimination of NO2 . DFT calculations identify a pathway by which both product ions can be generated, which involves initial isomerization of [UO2 (NO3 )(O2 )]- to create [UO2 (O)(NO2 )(O2 )]- , from which elimination of NO2 or O2 will leave [UO2 (O)(O2 )]- or [UO2 (O)(NO2 )]- , respectively. For the latter product ion, the composition assignment of [UO2 (O)(NO2 )]- rather than [UO2 (NO3 )]- is supported by ion-molecule reaction behavior, and in particular, the fact that spontaneous addition of O2 , which is predicted to be the dominant reaction pathway for [UO2 (NO3 )]- is not observed. Instead, the species reacts with H2 O, which is predicted to be the favored pathway for [UO2 (O)(NO2 )]- . This result in particular demonstrates the utility of ion-molecule reactions to assist the determination of ion composition. As in our earlier study, we find that ions such as [UO2 (O)(NO2 )]- and [UO2 (O)(O2 )]- form H2 O adducts, and calculations suggest these species spontaneously rearrange to create dihydroxides.

Electrospray ionization (ESI) can produce a wide range of gas-phase uranyl (UO2 2+ ) complexes for tandem mass spectrometry studies of intrinsic structure and reactivity. We describe here the formation and collision-induced dissociation (CID) of [UO2 (NO3 )3 ]- and [UO2 (NO3 )2 (O2 )]- . Multiple-stage CID experiments reveal that the complexes dissociate in reactions that involve elimination of O2 , NO2 , or NO3 , and subsequent reactions of interesting uranyl-oxo product ions with (neutral) H2 O and/or O2 were investigated. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reproduce experimental results and show that dissociation of nitrate ligands, with ejection of neutral NO2 , is favored for both [UO2 (NO3 )3 ]- and [UO2 (NO3 )2 (O2 )]- . DFT calculations also suggest that H2 O adducts to products such as [UO2 (O)(NO3 )]- spontaneously rearrange to create dihydroxides and that addition of O2 is favored over addition of H2 O to formally U(V) species.

While the strong axial U O bonds confer high stability and inertness to UO22+, it has been shown that the axial oxo ligands can be eliminated or replaced in the gas-phase using collision-induced dissociation (CID) reactions. In this study, CID of the pentafluorobenzoate precursor ion [UO2(O2C–C6F5)]+ was used to produce the organo-uranyl ion [UO2(C6F5)]+ by decarboxylation. Subsequent CID of [UO2(C6F5)]+ created [UO2(F)]+ by fluoride transfer and elimination of C6F4, rather than UO2+ by elimination of pentafluorophenyl radical (as has been observed for similar species). Moreover, upon reaction of [UO2(C6F5)]+ with H2O, apparent substitution of OH for F to create [UO3HC6F4]+ is favored over hydrolysis to produce [UO2(OH)]+ and (neutral) C6F5H. Subsequent CID of [UO3HC6F4]+ generates [UO2(F)]+ and [OUF]+. When [OUF]+ is isolated to react with H2O and O2 in the ion trap, the principal product ions observed are [UO2(F)]+ and [UO2(OH)]+. Experiments conducted with labeled reagent suggest that reaction with H218O leads to exchange of the oxo ligand and incorporation of the 18O label into [OUF]+ while reaction with O2 likely creates [UO2(F)]+. Formation of [UO2(OH)]+ from [OUF]+ is the result of a cascade of reactions, with initial formation of [UO2(F)]+ by reaction with O2, followed by hydrolysis to create the hydroxide species.

Developing a comprehensive understanding of the reactivity of uranium species remains an important goal in areas ranging from the development of nuclear fuel processing methods to studies of the migration and fate of the element in the environment. Electrospray ionization (ESI) can provide relatively easy access to gas-phase complexes containing uranium in high oxidation states for subsequent studies of intrinsic structure and reactivity. We report here the formation of a superoxo- complex, [UVIO2(O2)(O2C-CF3)2]−, which is created by ESI using “gentle” conditions (low sheath gas flow rate and low desolvation temperature). CID of [UVIO2(O2)(O2C-CF3)2]− causes elimination of O2, presumably with concomitant reduction of UVIO22+ to UVO2+. Remarkably, subsequent CID of [UVO2(O2C-CF3)2]− creates a species at m/z 330, which is attributed to formation of [UVO(F)4]−. A similar species is generated by multiple-stage CID in a linear ion trap, and collision-cell CID in a Fourier-transform ion-cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer, when initiated with the tris-trifluoroacetato complex [UVIO2(O2C-CF3)3]−. High accuracy mass measurement using the FT-ICR instrument confirms the composition assignment for the species at m/z 330.

In a previous study [Int. J. Mass Spectrom. 2010; 297: 67–75], the asymmetric O=U=O stretch (ν3) was measured for anionic uranyl complexes with composition [UO2(X)3]-, X = Cl-, Br- and I-. Within this group of complexes, the ν3 frequency red-shifts following the trend I > Br > Cl, suggesting concomitant weakening of the U=O bonds. However, a value for [UO2(F)3]- was not measured, which prevented a comprehensive comparison of measured ν3 positions to computed frequencies from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Because the shift in ν3 is predicted to be most dramatic when X = F, we revisited these species using infrared multiple-photon photodissociation spectroscopy. As in our earlier study, a modest red-shift to the ν3 vibration of ∼ 6 cm-1 was observed for X = I-, Br-, and Cl-, and the position of the frequency follows the trend I- > Br- > Cl-. The value measured for [UO2(F)3]- is ∼43 cm-1 lower than the one measured for [UO2(Cl)3]-. Overall, the trend with respect to ν3 position is reproduced well by computed frequencies from DFT.