The Coupled Activation of Molecular Oxygen and CH and CC Bonds in Gas‐Phase Reactions of [M(C₂H₄)]⁺ (M ScZn) with O₂

Fe + is the only cation that mediates the activation of molecular oxygen as well as that of the CH and CC bonds of the olefin when the complexes [M(C 2 H 4 )] + of the transition metals (M  ScZn) are allowed to react with O 2 under single‐collision conditions in the gas phase. This unique behavior parallels the role of iron complexes in important condensed‐phase processes in many chemical and biological systems.