REACTIVITIES OF TI8C12+ AT THERMAL ENERGIES

Reactivities of the Met-Car Ti8C12+ toward various molecules have been examined at thermal energies employing a selected drift tube reactor coupled with a laser induced plasma source. It is observed that this c luster is quite reactive toward molecules with either large dipole mom ents or pi-bonding systems. At room temperature Ti8C12+ is found to ta ke up 8 polar molecules but only 4 molecules with pi-bonding systems. The Met-Car cluster ion reactions are observed to proceed mainly throu gh association mechanisms leading to ligand attachment rather than tho se involving breaking and forming of new chemical bonds. In addition, Ti8C12+ is seen-to be inert even toward oxygen, which is known to be a good free radical scavenger. The assocition or attachment behavior of Ti8C12+ reactions is explained in terms of a closed structure of the Met-Car and the presence of titaniums in the framework of Ti8C12+. Hen ce,the observed reactivities of Ti8C12+ provide further suggestive evi dence supporting the argument that the Met-Car Ti8C12 has a dodecahedr al structure.