New experiments on HNCSe and HCNSe radical cations

Area of Science:

• Chemical Physics
• Mass Spectrometry
• Organic Chemistry

Background:

• Isocyanoselenic acid radical cations (HNCSe(.+)) are important reactive intermediates.
• Previous methods for generating and characterizing these species have limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a convenient method for generating pure isocyanoselenic acid radical cations.
• To confirm the HNCSe(.+) connectivity using advanced mass spectrometry techniques.

Main Methods:

• Dissociative ionization of selenourea (Se=C(NH(2))(2)) was employed for ion generation.
• Collisional activation and associative ion-molecule reactions were utilized for structural elucidation.
• A large-scale hybrid mass spectrometer was used for the experiments.

Main Results:

• Beams of pure isocyanoselenic acid radical cations were successfully generated.
• The HNCSe(.+) connectivity was unequivocally established through the applied methods.
• Reactions with dimethyl sulfide and nitric oxide provided further confirmation.

Conclusions:

• Dissociative ionization of selenourea is an efficient route to HNCSe(.+) ions.
• The established connectivity provides a foundation for further studies of these selenium-containing species.