Proof of the Catalytic Activity of a Naked Metal Cluster in the Gas Phase

Source abstract

An experiment with five steps within a mass spectrometer (labeled MS n ) showed that in the gas phase the naked Fe ion forms the molecule C 6 H 6 , probably benzene, from ethene via [Fe 4 (C 2 H 2 ) m ] + complexes ( m = 1–4), and thus acts as a catalytic center. The MS 1 –MS 5 steps of the complex experiment are sketched below. CID = collision‐induced deactivation, a = isolation, m = 1–3. equation image