Competition between transmetalation and electron transfer in the gas-phase reactions of ytterbium complex trications and the tetraphenylborate anion

Abstract

Gas-phase ion-ion reactions between the trication, [Yb(L)3]3+ (where L = N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylpyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide), and the tetraphenylborate anion, [BPh4]−, and its sodium bound dimer, [(BPh4)2Na]−, were examined to establish whether ion-pair formation and transmetalation from boron to ytterbium can occur. Ion clusters that were formed with the formal +3 oxidation state for the ytterbium metal centre include: the ion pair [Yb(III)(L)3][BPh4]2+ (m/z 578, (6a)); the ion triplet [Yb(III)(L)3][BPh4]2+ (m/z 1475, (7a)); and [Yb(III)(L)3(BPh4)3Na]+ (m/z 1817, (8a)). In addition, electron transfer from [BPh4]− to [Yb(L)3]3+ resulted in complexes in which the ytterbium metal centre is in the..