CH3O+ and C2H5O+: high barriers to isomerisation and low barriers to symmetry-allowed 1,1-elimination

Abstract

Experimental and theoretical evidence is presented to show that the alkoxy cations CH₃O⁺ and C₂H₅O⁺ have surprisingly high barriers to 1,2-hydride shifts to the oxygen atom, but have very low barriers to 1,1-elimination of H₂ from the α-carbon atom.