Specific processes and scrambling in the dehydrogenation of ethane and the degenerate hydrogen exchange in the gas-phase ion chemistry of the Ni(C,H-3,O)(+)/C2H6 couple

A mechanistically unprecedented situation characterizes the gas-phase ion chemistry of Ni(C3H7,O)(+) when reacted under thermal, single-collision conditions with ethane. A dehydrogenation channel leading to Ni(C-3,H-7,O)(+) is to 90% preceded by a complete loss of positional identity of all nine H-atoms of the encounter complex ('scrambling'), whereas ca. 10% of the reaction exhibit a selective C-H bond activation of the alkane. In addition, a degenerate H exchange between ethane and the (C,H-3,O) unit occurs as a side reaction, the mechanistic details of which remain unknown for the time being.