Relative stability of isomeric methyl nitrate cations (CH3NO3)H+

Abstract

The structure and the relative stability of isomeric (CH₃NO₃)H⁺ ions have been investigated using ab initio computational techniques. The results, both at the STO-3G and at the 4-31G level of calculation, show that protonation of the nitro group is energetically favoured. However, when the effects of solvation by single neutral molecules were included, the cation obtained by protonation of the ether oxygen was more stable, thus indicating that differential solvation can appreciably influence the intrinsic relative stability of the title compounds.