The study of ion–molecule reactions in the gas phase using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Part 2. The reaction of CH3+ and CH4+˙ with linear, branched, and cyclic alkanes

Abstract

The reactions of CH₃⁺ and CH₄⁺˙ ions with linear, branched, and cyclic alkanes have been studied in the gas phase using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The reactions with CH₃⁺ involve an initial hydride abstraction followed by fragmentation of the resulting carbocation. The initial reaction with CH₄⁺˙ is charge exchange, but the resulting cation-radical can fragment in two different ways, one involving the formation of a carbocation and a radical, and the other leading to the formation of a shorter chain alkane and a new cation-radical.