Reactions of Group V Transition Metal Oxide Cluster Ions with Ethane and Ethylene

Reactions of mass-selected group V transition metal oxide cluster ions (VxOy±, NbxOy±, and TaxOy±) with ethane (C2H6) and ethylene (C2H4) were investigated. The major reaction channels observed during the reactions of C2 hydrocarbons with MxOy+ were association and oxygen transfer. The association channel, MxOyC2Hn+, where n = 4 or 6, was common to most of the group V transition metal oxide cluster cations examined. However, a reaction channel corresponding to the loss of an oxygen atom from the mass-selected metal oxide cluster, producing MxOy-1+, was only observed during the reactions of (V2O5)n+, where n = 1, 2, or 3, with ethane and ethylene and during the reactions of ethylene with Nb2O5+. It is proposed that this reaction pathway is oxygen transfer from the mass-selected metal oxide cluster cation to the neutral hydrocarbon. This oxygen transfer channel is the major pathway observed during the course of reactions of V2O5+, V4O10+, and V6O15+ with ethane and ethylene, but this reaction pathway is min...