The stability of the carbon tetrahalide ions

Abstract

Carbon tetrahalide ion stability has been investigated by electron impact methods. The carbon tetrahalide ions are shown to be thermodynamically unstable and to dissociate exothermically to CX⁺₃+ X. This fragmentation of the parent ion is consistent with the instability resulting from the postulated Jahn–Teller distortion of the tetrahalide ion. Evidence for ion–molecule collisions and charge exchange in the ionization source of a mass spectrometer is presented.