HOW IS THE FLUORIDE-ION BOUND TO O-2, N-2, AND CO MOLECULES

Fundamental gas-phase clustering reactions for F-(Sol)(n-1) + Sol = F- (Sol)(n) for Sol = O-2, N-2, and CO were studied by using a pulsed ele ctron beam mass spectrometer. While the interaction of F- with Oz liga nds is mainly electrostatic, those with N-2 and CO have some contribut ion from charge transfer (i.e,, the formation of incipient covalent bo nds in the complexes F- --> N-2 and F- --> CO). The cluster ion F-(CO) (6) was found to have an octahedral structure with equivalent F-... CO bonds. F-(O-2)(n) was found to involve the smallest binding energy am ong F- cluster ions ever reported.