Reactivity Pattern in the Room-Temperature Activation of NH3 by the Main-Group Atomic Ions Ga+, Ge+, As+ and Se+

The activation of ammonia by the main-group cations Gat Ge+, As+ and Se+ has been explored both experimentally and theoretically. ICP/SIFT tandem mass spectrometer measurements of room-temperature kinetics have revealed a substantial variation in rates and product distributions across the Periodic Table of Elements. The main features of the observed primary chemistry include H-atom elimination, ammonia addition and a cation-assisted proton transfer to yield NH4+ that is second order in ammonia. These observations are shown to be completely consistent with computed potential energy surfaces for the reactions of each of the four atomic cations. Dehydrogenation by the elimination of molecular hydrogen, not observed experimentally, is shown by the calculations to be inhibited by the presence of a kinetic barrier.