Intracluster Ion Molecule Reactions Following the Generation of Mg⁺ Within Polar Clusters

Abstract: In this work we investigated the intracluster ion molecule reactions following the generation of Mg⁺ within the polar clusters (water, methanol, ether and acetonitrile), using time of flight mass spectrometry. In the case of Mg⁺/water and Mg⁺/methanol, dehydrogenation reactions are observed after the addition of five molecules. However, no dehydrogenation reactions are observed in the case of Mg⁺/ether or Mg⁺/acetonitrile clusters. This confirms the role of the H atom in (O–H) in the dehydrogenation reaction, and rules out any contribution from the H atom in the CH₃ group. In addition, the magic numbers in the time of flight (TOF) mass spectra of the Mg⁺X_n clusters (X = H₂O, CH₃OH, CH₃OCH₃ and CH₃CN) have been investigated. Finally, the role of ground electronic magnesium ion Mg⁺(²S_1/2), and excited electronic magnesium ion Mg⁺(²P_1/2) in the dehydrogenation reaction were investigated using Ion Mobility Mass spectrometry. The results offer direct evidence confirming the absence of the electronically excited, Mg⁺(²P_1/2).