Creation of Gas-phase Organo-Uranium Species by Removal of “yl” Oxo
Ligands from UO22+ Carboxylate Precursor Ions
Abstract
Rationale: These experiments were conducted to measure the
diversity of organo-U(IV) and U(III) ions created using multidimensional
tandem MS and collision-induced dissociation of halogen-substituted U
VIO 2-phenide complexes [UO
2(C 6H 3FX)]
+, X = Cl, Br, or I. Methods: Samples of UO
2(O 2C-C 6H
3FX) 2 were prepared by digesting UO
3 with appropriate halogen-substituted carboxylic acids
in deionized water. Solutions for ESI were created by diluting the
digested sample in 50:50 H 2O/CH 3OH.
Precursor ions for multiple-stage tandem MS were generated by
electrospray ionization (ESI). Multiple-stage collision-induced
dissociation (He collision gas) in a linear quadrupole ion trap mass
spectrometer was used to prepare species such as [U
IVFX(C≡CH)] + and U
IIIF(C≡CH)] + for subsequent study
of ion-molecule reactions with adventitious neutrals in the ion trap.
Results: Multiple-stage CID of the [UO 2(C
6H 3FX)] +, X= Cl,
Br, or I, complexes caused removal of both “yl” oxo ligands from of
the UO 2 2+ moiety to create ions such
as [U IVFX(C≡CH)] + and [U
IIIFX] +. For [U
IVFXC≡CH] + and [U
IIIFC≡CH] + products, hydrolysis
to generate [U IVFX(OH)] + and
[U IIIF(OH)] +, with concomitant
loss of HC≡CH, was observed. When X = Cl and Br, elimination of HX was
competitive with loss of HC≡CH. CID of [UO 2(C
6H 3FBr)] + and
[UO 2(C 6H 3FI)]
+ caused reductive elimination of the respective
halogen radicals to generate interesting organo-U(III) species such as
[U IIIF(C≡CH)] + and [U
IIIC 2] +.
Conclusions: The use of “preparative” tandem mass
spectrometry and a suite of halogen substituted benzoic acid ligands can
be used to remove both oxo ligands of UO 2
2+ and generate a group of homologous organo-U(IV) and
organo-U(III) ions for studies of intrinsic reactivity.