Generation and characterization of ionic and neutral (CH3OBH)+/· and (CH3BOH)+/· in the gas phase by tandem mass spectrometry

The isomeric dicoordinated borinium ions CH3O–B–H+ and CH3–B–OH+ are generated upon electron ionization of trimethylborate and methyl boronic acid, respectively. The connectivity of the ions is confirmed by collision-induced dissociation experiments on magnetic deflection type tandem mass spectrometers. Neutralization–reionization experiments on these structurally characterized ions indicate that the neutral radicals CH3O–B–H· and CH3–B–OH· are viable species in the gas phase. Calculations at the G2 level of theory were performed to obtain thermochemical data on the title isomers and their main dissociation products. The calculations also provide a rationale for the moderate yield of the neutrals generated in the experiments: the vertical electron transfer processes for both systems are associated with particularly unfavourable Franck-Condon factors.