Collision-induced reactions of size-selected molecular cluster anions

Abstract

Collision-induced reactions of size-selected cluster anions, (CO₂) ⁻_n and (N₂O)_nO⁻ with He and Kr atoms were studied at collision energies from 0.1 to 2.0 eV (center-of mass) by means of a tandem mass-spectrometer equipped with a pair of octapole ion guides. The dominant process was evaporation of the constituent molecules from the parent cluster ion. The absolute cross section for the evaporation was measured as functions of the size of the parent cluster ion and the collision energy. The reaction was explained by collisional excitation of the parent cluster ion followed by its unimolecular dissociation. The observed cross sections which correspond to those for the collisional excitation agree with those calculated in terms of charge-induced dipole and induced dipole-induced dipole interactions between the parent cluster ion and the target atom. The distributions of the product ions resulting from the unimolecular dissociation were reproduced by a simple calculation based on RRK theory. In the collision of (CO₂) ⁻_n , the cross sections for (CO₂) ⁻₁₀ and (CO₂) ⁻₁₄ were significantly small and their abundances in the product ion distributions were particularly large. These findings indicate that (CO₂) ⁻₁₀ and (CO₂) ⁻₁₄ are stable species. On the other hand, stable species in (N₂O)_nO⁻ was found to be (N₂O)₅O⁻.