The Existence of Multiply Charged Molecular Ions of HBr, HCl, and DCl

Experimental evidence is presented for the DCl+1, HCl+1, DCl+2, and HBr+2 molecular ions, using a modified Consolidated-Nier mass spectrometer. Although Cl+3, Br+3, and A+3 were observed, no evidence was obtained for H1,2Cl+Z, or HBr+Z above Z=2. This result contradicts the recent calculations of Magee and Gurnee2 that HBr+3 and HBr+4 would be stable toward dissociation. Finally a crude calculation is done assuming hydrogen 1s atomic orbitals which agrees amusingly with the experiments.