MoO-10


GAS PHASE REACTIONS OF THE PHOSPHORUS MOLECULE P4

Keith J. Fisher, Ian G. Dance and Gary D. Willett

School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052


Although there is a wealth of information on the molecule P4, generally produced from white phosphorus, there have been very few studies of ion molecule reactions involving P4. Abboud et al.1 have measured the basicity of P4 in the gas phase and finds it is moderately basic and P4H+ involves a three centred PHP bond similar to diborane.

Zimmermann et al.2 have observed the reactions of P4+ and determined the ionization potential to be 9.28±0.1 eV. The production of P4+ was enabled by laser ablation of InP and the reaction of P4+ so produced with benzene indicated the presence of two isomers.

In our study, P4 molecules produced from white phosphorus have been introduced into a FTICR mass spectrometer and the reactions of both negative and positive ions with P4 have been studied. The reaction of P4+ with benzene has been reinvestigated and the reaction with substituted benzenes studied.

Figure

The reaction of Cu3S3 anions with P4 is shown in the figure.

References

  1. J.-L. M. Abboud, M. Herreros, R. Notario, M. Esseffar, O. Mo and M. Yanez, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 118, 1126 (1996).
  2. J. A. Zimmerman, S. B. H. Bach, C. H. Watson and J. R. Eyler, J. Phys. Chem. 95, 98 (1991).