Ion trap studies of H+(H2SO4)m(H2O)n reactions with water, ammonia, and a variety of organic compounds

Rate coefficients and products are reported for the reactions of protonated sulfuric acid and water clusters H+(H2SO4)(m)(H2O)(n) with water, ammonia, and a variety of organic compounds. The cluster ions were generated in an external ion source and the reactions were studied in a quadrupole ion trap. These data yield the stabilities of H+H2SO4(H2O)(n=1-3). The implications of these results to the understanding of the role of H2SO4 in atmospheric ion chemistry are discussed. Effective internal temperatures of trapped H+(H2O)(n=3,4) and H+(NH3)(3) are also derived from kinetics of the unimolecular decomposition in the ion trap. (Int J Mass Spectrom 190/191 (1999) 231-241) (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.