Germyl cations with Ge-S bond: an experimental and theoretical study on the gaseous F(n)Ge(SH)(3-n)+ (n=0-2).

The germyl cations F(2)Ge(SH)(+), FGe(SH)(2)(+) and Ge(SH)(3)(+) were obtained from ionized mixtures of GeF(4) and H(2)S. Ion trap mass spectrometry revealed the occurrence of three consecutive addition-HF elimination reactions between GeF(3)(+), F(2)Ge(SH)(+) and FGe(SH)(2)(+) and H(2)S. The structure and the mechanism of formation of the observed F(n)Ge(SH)(3-n)(+) (n = 0-2) were investigated by ab initio calculations performed at the MP2 and coupled cluster level of theory. It was also possible to note regular trends in the geometries and Lewis acidities of the F(n)Ge(SH)(3-n)(+) (n= 0-3).

Positive ion chemistry of SiH4/GeF4 gaseous mixtures studied by ion trap mass spectrometry and ab initio calculations.

The positive ion chemistry occurring in SiH(4)/GeF(4) gaseous mixtures was investigated by ion trap mass spectrometry and ab initio theoretical calculations. The GeF(3)(+) cation, the only fragment obtained from ionized GeF(4), was unreactive towards SiH(4). All the primary ions SiH(n)(+) (n = 0-3) react instead with GeF(4) so to form SiF(+) or SiH(2)F(+). The latter species reacts in turn with SiH(4) and GeF(4) so to form SiH(3)(+) and SiHF(2)(+), respectively. The potential energy profiles conceivably involved in these reactions were investigated by ab initio calculations performed at the MP2 and coupled cluster (CCSD(T)) level of theory.