Ambident reactivity and characterization of small ionized carbenes

International audience; The gas phase reactions of five ionized carbenes, HC-OH*+ 1, HC-NH2*+ 2, CH3-C-OH*+ 3, HO-C-OH*+ 4 and HO-C-NH2*+ 5 with different molecules are studied by FT-ICR mass spectrometry. Interaction between an ionized carbene and a molecule can yield two kinds of stable adducts, as expected from the electronic structure of the carbene radical cations, explaining the ambident reactivity of these ions. The first kind of adduct corresponds to H-bonded species (hydrogen-bridged radical cations), the second to covalent structures. Since interconversion between these adducts is generally slow, each kind of adduct leads to a particular set of reactions. The H-bonded species can be involved in the protonation of the neutral as well as in the catalyzed interconversion between the carbene and its conventional radical cation counterpart. The covalent adducts, formed by reaction of ionized carbenes with methanal and alkenes, are ß-distonic ions. Reactions with labeled propene show that the so formed distonic ions either dissociate by simple cleavage or undergo rearrangements and H-exchange after isomerization into conventional ions by 1,4-H transfers. Cyclopropane gives a characteristic reaction of the carbene structure: addition yields a ?-distonic ion which loses ethylene. Finally, H*, I* and *SCH3 abstraction from appropriate neutrals confirms a radical reactivity of the carbenic carbon. © 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.