GAS-PHASE GENERATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SINH2(-CENTER-DOT - A COMBINED NEUTRALIZATION-REIONIZATION MASS-SPECTROMETRY AND AB-INITIO MOLECULAR-ORBITAL STUDY() AND SINH2)

Mass spectrometric studies strongly suggest the existence of the long- sought-after SiNH2+(1A1) ion in the gas phase; this species can be suc cessfully neutralized to SiNH2.(2A1), which is thought to be of astroc hemical interest. The experimental findings are complemented by extens ive ab initio MO calculations, employing Pople's G1 and G2 programs; i n addition, relevant parts of potential energy surfaces belonging to d ifferent electronic states are calculated.