The gas phase reactions of the trichloromethylium ion with alkyl aromatics, studied by high pressure mass spectrometry

Abstract

The reactions of trichloromethylium (CCl3+) with benzene and the lower alkyl aromatics (ArH) have been studied by high pressure mass spectrometry at pressures in the range 2–4 Torr and temperatures from 300 to 560 K. The only two primary products are the adduct ArHCCl3+ and ArCCl2+, which is formed by loss of HCl from the adduct. The relative yields of adduct increase with increasing number of methyl substituents on the aromatic ring (benzene → mesitylene). The disappearance of CCl3+ is kinetically second order with specific rate constants increasing from benzene to mesitylene, the latter reacting essentially at every ion–molecule collision. All rate constants are fairly large (>1010 cc molecule−1 s−1) and show negative temperature coefficients. ArCCl2+ is unreactive but ArHCCl3+ reacts further by proton transfer to ArH.