Dissociation of CO+ and CO++ Ions by Collision with Neutral Molecules

Abstract

The dissociations of CO⁺ and CO⁺⁺ ions by ion‐molecule collision have been investigated with a mass spectrometer. CO⁺ dissociates into C⁺ and O, or C and O⁺, depending upon the energy of the parent ion. The predominant ion resulting from dissociation of CO⁺⁺ is C⁺ suggesting a charge‐exchange dissociation reaction. This is supported by the observation that neutral molecules having high ionization potentials such as He and Ne do not produce dissociation in CO⁺⁺. Energy for the dissociation of CO⁺⁺ is derived from the electronic energy of the molecular ion rather than from kinetic energy.