Gas-phase ion chemistry of BF(3)/NH(3) mixtures

The gas-phase ion chemistry of BF(3)/NH(3) mixtures was investigated by the joint application of mass-spectrometric techniques and theoretical methods. The addition of BF(2)(+) to NH(3) led to the first observation of [BF(2),NH(3)](+) and [BF,NH(2)](+) ions. Diamidoboron cation B(NH(2))(2)(+) was also detected. Consistent with collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) mass spectrometric results, theoretical calculations performed at the B3LYP and CCSD(T) levels identified the F(2)B-NH(3)(+), FB-NH(2)(+), and NH(2)-B-NH(2)(+) ions as the most stable isomers on the corresponding potential energy surfaces. The F(2)B-NH(3)(+) ion represents the protonated form of aminodifluoroborane, BF(2)NH(2), and consequently behaves as a Brønsted acid under FT-ICR conditions. The FBNH(2)(+) ion is able to add Lewis bases such as water, ammonia, and hydrazoic acid. These species, containing the BN moiety, may represent new promising projectile ions in the boron nitride deposition techniques involving high-energy ion beams.