Abstract
The activation of methane and of several small alkanes and alkenes by thorium cations, as studied by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance/mass spectrometry, is described. Thermalized Th + ions dehydrogenate methane with a rather low efficiency ( k/k L = 0.02) to form ThCH 2 +. Th + ions react exothermically with the studied alkanes (ethane, propane, n-butane, isobutane and cyclopropane) and alkenes (ethene, propene and 1-butene): single and/or double dehydrogenation is observed for all the substrates studied and, in the case of cyclopropane, propene and 1-butene, loss of hydrocarbons is also observed. In secondary reactions of the primary products of cyclopropane and the alkenes C-C coupling processes may occur. This study indicates that Th + ions are more reactive than U + ions. A tentative preview of 5f metal ion reactivity is also presented, based on comparisons of the data reported herein with available data on lanthanide and uranium ions.
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