Activation of methane by gaseous platinum(II) ions PtX+ (X = H, Cl, Br, CHO)

The gas-phase reactions of methane with the platinum(II) ions PtX+ with X = H, Cl, Br, and CHO are studied by mass spectrometry. The PtX+ ions are generated by electrospray ionization of methanolic solutions of hexachloroplatinic acid and hexabromoplatinic acid, respectively. Small to moderate intramolecular kinetic isotope effects determined for the C-H(D) bond activation of CH2D2 suggest that the activation of methane by gaseous PtX+ cations is subject to thermochemical control by the product channels. In addition, the PtCl2+ cation is also able to activate methane, whereas PtCl3+ is unreactive under the conditions chosen.