Relative metal ion affinities of organic nitriles in the gas phase

The relative metal ion (Ni + and Co + ) affinities of 14 alkanenitriles, alkenenitriles and benzonitrile were estimated using Cooks' kinetic method in a fast atom bombardment mass spectrometer. The results are compared with proton affinities, affinities for other metal ions, two‐ligand dissociation enthalpies and the dipole moments of the nitriles. The RCNCo + bond is found to be close to the RCNNi + bond but weaker than the RCNAl + bond. The effective temperature ( T ) of the metal‐bound dimer ions falls in the range 298 K < T < 400 K.