Seminar

Molecular complexation and microsolvation processes play a key role in the transport of metals in aqueous fluids. Understanding the structure of molecular metal ions in aqueous media has therefore become a topic of intense research, with important implications for the transport of metals by vapor and isotopic fractionation processes at gas/liquid interfaces. In order to probe metal speciation and, in particular, the solvation environment around larger ion clusters, we have begun a systematic survey of representative metal-perchlorate clusters [M_n(ClO4)_2n-1]⁺ (H2O)_m, M=Mn, Ni, Cu, Co, Zn) using a combination of electrospray ionization (ESI), ion resonance mass spectrometry and tunable IR spectroscopy.