ION–MOLECULE REACTIONS STUDIED BY TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY: II. REACTIONS IN CO–D2 AND CH4–D2 MIXTURES

The pulsed operation capability of the time-of-flight mass spectrometer has been used for the study of ion–molecule reaction kinetics. Reactions take place in a high-pressure (up to 0.08 Torr) region free from external electric fields, and time is used as a direct kinetic variable. The following reactions were studied.[Formula: see text]In CH4–D2 mixtures a reaction in addition to CH4+ + CH4 → CH5+ + CH3 leads to the formation of an ion of m/e 17. Various possibilities for this reaction are discussed.