9409644 Kenttamaa Purdue University Ion-molecule reaction strategies for the synthesis and structural characterization of gaseous organic radical cations will be developed. Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectroscopy will be used to study the stability, reaction paths, kinetics, and thermochemistry of these radical cations. The role of the charge site in reactions of these species will be addressed by using ions with different types of radical sites, and ions with different structures separating the radical site from the charge site. The use of electron withdrawing and donating substituents and a rigid molecular framework will be employed to accomplish these goals. This grant from the Organic Dynamics Program supports the continuing work of Professor Hilkka Kenttamaa at Purdue University. The synthesis and characterization of distonic radical cations in the gas-phase will be undertaken by Professor Kenttamaa. These relatively little-studied species are characterized by having a unit of positive charge and one odd electron on non-adjacent atoms in a molecule. Unique synthetic routes will be used to place the charge and odd electron in different portions of the molecule and to then determine the reactions that these species undergo. Mass spectrometric methods, which measure the mass to charge ratio of species, will be used to characterize the distonic ions and their reaction products.
