Proton-induced reactions of [2.2]-paracyclophane in the gas phase. A study by FT-ICR-spectrometry and DFT calculation.

The reactions of the [2-2]-paracyclophane 1 and the [2-2]-metaparacyclopane 2 in the gas phase after protonation by CI(CH4) or CI(I-C4H10) were studied by FT-ICR mass spectrometry. The ions C16H17+ produced in the external ion source of the FT-ICR instrument were transferred into the ICR cell containing the neutral reactant, and the reactions were analyzed measuring the efficiency of the transfer of a proton to a series of bases with known proton affinity and gas phase basicity as well as the efficiency of the ion-molecule reaction with ethyl vinyl ether. Both reaction types show that the ions C16H17+ produced by chemical ionization (CI) consist of two sets of isomeric ions A and B which exhibit distinctly different behavior on deprotonation and of the reaction with ethyl methyl ether. Isomer(s) A (about 65% of the ion population) react efficiently with this vinyl ether by an addition/elimination process typical of primary and secondary benzylic carbenium ions, while isomer B (about 35% of the ion population) undergoes only an ineffective deprotonation by the vinyl ether. By bracketing deprotonation, it is shown that A is actually composed of two isomers A1 and A2 with slightly different proton affinity and gas phase basicity. These two ions have been identified using CA-mass spectrometry as protonated 3-phenethylstyrene (A1) and protonated 4-phenethylstyrene (A2). The CA-mass spectrum of the isomer B indicated that these ions C16H17+ correspond to protonated 1-(ethyl phenyl)-1-phenyl-ethene. This agrees with the rather strong basicity of the conjugated base of ions B, which results in a slow deprotonation. A protonated 1-(ethyl phenyl)-1-phenyl-ethene can arise from a protonated 2-phenethylstyrene by H- and subsequent phenyl shifts, but requires the preceding rearrangement of the protonated [2.2]-paracyclophane into the protonated isomer "[2.2]-orthocyclophane" - the 1,5-dibenzocyclooctadiene. The possibility of such a deep-sited rearrangement was studied by the computation of the relevant reaction routes applying DFT-methods at the level B3LYP/6-311+g(3d,2p)//B3LYP/3-21g) to analyze the reaction mechanisms.

Sodium phosphaethynolate as a building block for heterocycles.

Phosphorus-containing heterocycles have evolved from laboratory curiosities to functional components, such as ligands in catalytically active metal complexes or molecular constituents in electronic devices. The straightforward synthesis of functionalized heterocycles on a larger scale remains a challenge. Herein, we report the use of the phosphaethynolate (OCP)(-) anion as a building block for various sterically unprotected and functionalized hydroxy substituted phosphorus heterocycles. Because the resulting heterocycles are themselves anions, they are building blocks in their own right and allow further facile functionalization. This property may be of interest in coordination chemistry and material science.

Trends in the Periodic System: the mass spectrum of dimethylphenyl phosphane and a comparison of the gas phase reactivity of dimethylphenyl pnictogene radical cations C(6)H(5)E(CH(3))(2)(*+), (E = N, P, As)(dagger).

The mass spectrometric reactions of dimethylphenyl phosphane, 1, under electron impact have been studied by methods of tandem mass spectrometry and by using labeling with deuterium. The results are compared to those for the previously investigated dimethylaniline, 2, and dimethylphenyl arsane, 3, to examine the effects of heavy main group heteroatoms on the reactions of radical cations of the pnictogen derivatives C(6)H(5)E(CH(3))(2). Decomposition of the radical cation 1(*+) gives rise to large peaks in the 70 eV electron impact (EI) mass spectrum for loss of a radical, *CH(3), which is followed by abundant loss of a molecule, H(2), and formation of ion C(7)H(7)(+), and the 70 eV EI mass spectrum of the deuterated derivative 1d(3) shows that excessive positional hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange accompanies all fragmentation reactions. This is confirmed by the mass analyzed kinetic energy (MIKE) spectrum of the molecular ion 1d(6)(*+) which displays a group of signals for the loss of all isotopomers, *C(H/D)(3), and three signals for formation of ions C(7)H(5)D(2)(+), C(7)H(4)D(3)+ and C(7)H(3)D(4)(+). The intensity distribution within this latter group of ions corresponds to a statistical positional exchange ("scrambling") of all six D atoms of the methyl substituents with only two H atoms of the phenyl group. In contrast, the intensity distribution of the signals for loss of *C(H/D)(3) uncovers a bimodal reaction. About 39% of metastable molecular ions 1(*+) eliminate *CH(3) after scrambling of the six H atoms of the methyl substituents with two H atoms of the phenyl group, while the remaining 61% of metastable 1(*+) lose specifically a CH(3) substituent without positional H exchange. Further, the metastable ion [M-CH(3)](+) eliminates, almost exclusively, a molecule H(2), which is preceded by excessive positional H/D exchange in the case of metastable ion [M-CD(3)](+). The formation of ion C(7)H(7)(+) from metastable ion [M-CH(3)](+) is not observed and this is a minor process, even under the high energy condition of collision-induced dissociation (CID). The mechanisms of these fragmentation and exchange reactions have been modeled by theoretical calculations using the DFT functionals at the level UHBLY/6- 311+G(2d,p)//UHBLYP/6-31+G(d). The key feature is a rearrangement of molecular ion 1(*+) to an alpha-distonic isomer 1dist1(*+) by a 1,2-H shift from the CH(3) substituent to the P atom in competition with a direct loss of a CH(3) substituent . The distonic ion 1dist1(*+) performs positional H exchange between H atoms of both CH(3) substituents and H atoms at the ortho-positions of the phenyl group and rearranges readily to the (conventional) isomer benzylmethyl phosphane radical cation 1bzl(*+). The ion 1bzl(*+) undergoes further positional H exchange before decomposition to ion C(7)H(7)(+) and a radical CH(3)P*H or by loss of a radical *CH(3). Finally, ions [M-CH(3)](+) of methylphenyl phosphenium structure 1a(+) and benzyl phosphenium structure 1b(+) interconvert easily parallel to positional H exchange involving all H atoms of the ions. Eventually, a molecule H(2) is lost by a 1,1-elimination from the PH(2) group of the protomer 1b-H(+) of 1b(+). The trends observed in the gas-phase chemistry of the pnictogen radical cations dimethylaniline 2(*+), dimethylphenyl phosphane 1(*+) and dimethylphenyl arsane 3(*+) can be comprehended by considering the variation of the energetic requirements of three competing reaction: (i) alpha-cleavage by loss of *H from a methyl substituent, (ii) rearrangement of the molecular ion to an alpha-distonic isomer by a 1,2-H shift and (iii) loss of *CH(3) by cleavage of the C-heteroatom bond. 2(*+) exhibits a strong N-C bond and a high activation barrier for 1,2-H shift and fragments far more predominantly by alpha-cleavage. Both 1(*+) and 3(*+) eliminate *CH(3) by cleavage of the weak C-heteroatom bond. The barrier for a 1,2-H shift is also distinctly smaller than for 2(*+) and, for the P-derivative 1(*+), the generation of the alpha-distonic ion is able to compete with loss of *CH(3).

Trends in the reactions of gaseous phenyl pnictogen radical cations C6H5EH2*+ (E = N, P, As).

In context of an analysis of the effect of the central atom E of gaseous radical cations of phenyl pnictogens C(6)H(5)EH(2), E = N (1), P (2), and As (3), the mass spectrometric reactions of phenyl phosphane 2 have been re-investigated by D-labeling and by using methods of tandem mass spectrometry. The 70 eV mass spectrum of 2 shows the base peak for ion [M-2H](*+) and significant peaks for ions [M-H](+), [M-(2C,3H)](+), [M-PH] (*+), and [M-(C,P,2H)](+). Metastable 2(*+) fragments exclusively by loss of H(2), and the investigation of deuterated 2-d(2) shows that excessive H/D migrations occur before fragmentation. Other significant fragment ions in the mass spectrum of 2 arise by losses of C(2)H(2,) P, or HCP from the ion [M-H](+). This mass spectrometric behavior puts the radical cation 2(*+) in between the fragmentation reactions of aniline radical cation 1(*+) (loss of H and subsequent losses of C(2)H(2,) or HCN) and phenyl arsane radical cation 3(*+) (elimination of H(2) and loss of As from ion [M-H](+)). The fragmentation mechanisms of the radical cations 1(*+) -3(*+) and of related ions were analyzed by calculations of the enthalpy of relevant species at the stationary points of the minimum enthalpy reaction pathways using the DFT hybrid functionals UBHLYP/6-311+G(2d,p)//UBHLYP/6-311+G(d). The results show that, in contrast to ionized aniline 1(*+), the reactions of the derivatives 2(*+) and 3(*+) of the heavier main group elements P and As are characterized by an easy elimination of H(2)via a reductive elimination of group C(6)H(5)-E (E = P, As) and by a special stability of bicyclic isomers of 2(*+) and 3(*+). Thus, while 1(*+) rearranges by ring expansion and formation an 7-aza-tropylium cation by loss of H., the increased stability of bicyclic intermediates in the rearrangement of 2(*+) and in particular of 3(*+) results in separate rearrangement pathways. The origin of these effects is the more extended and diffuse nature of the 3p and 4p AO of P and As.

Isomerization and fragmentation reactions of gaseous dimethyl phenylarsane radical cations and methyl phenylarsenium cations. A study by tandem mass spectrometry and density functional theory calculations.

The unimolecular reactions of the radical cation of dimethyl phenylarsane, C6H5As(CH3)2, 1*+ and of the methyl phenylarsenium cation, C6H5As+CH3, 2+, in the gas phase were investigated using deuterium labeling and methods of tandem mass spectrometry. Additionally, the rearrangement and fragmentation processes were analyzed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the level UBHLYP/6- 311+G(2d,p)//UBHLYP/5-31+G(d). The molecular ion 1*+ decomposes by loss of a .CH3 radical from the As atom without any rearrangement, in contrast to the behavior of the phenylarsane radical cation. In particular, no positional exchange of the H atoms of the CH3 group and at the phenyl ring is observed. The results of DFT calculations show that a rearrangement of 1*+ by reductive elimination of As and shift of the CH3 group is indeed obstructed by a large activation barrier. The MIKE spectrum of 2+ shows that this arsenium cation fragments by losses of H2 and AsH. The fragmentation of the trideuteromethyl derivative 2-d3+ proves that all H atoms of the neutral fragments originate specifically from the methyl ligand. Identical fragmentation behavior is observed for metastable m-tolyl arsenium cation, m-CH3C6H4As+H, 2tol+. The loss of AsH generates ions C7H7+ which requires rearrangement in 2+ and bond formation between the phenyl and methyl ligands prior to fragmentation. The DFT calculations confirm that the precursor of this fragmentation is the benzyl methylarsenium cation 2bzl+, and that 2bzl+ is also the precursor ion fo the elimination of H2. The analysis of the pathways for rearrangements of 2+ to the key intermediate 2bzl+ by DFT calculations show that the preferred route corresponds to a 1,2-H shift of a H atom from the CH3 ligand to the As atom and a shift of the phenyl group in the reverse direction. The expected rearrangement by a reductive elimination of the As atom, which is observed for the phenylarsenium cation and for halogeno phenyl arsenium cations, requires much more activation enthalpy.

Isomerization and fragmentation reactions of gaseous phenylarsane radical cations and phenylarsanyl cations. A study by tandem mass spectrometry and theoretical calculations.

The unimolecular reactions of radical cations and cations derived from phenylarsane, C6H5AsH2 (1) and dideutero phenylarsane, C6H5AsD2 (1-d2), were investigated by methods of tandem mass spectrometry and theoretical calculations. The mass spectrometric experiments reveal that the molecular ion of phenylarsane, 1*+, exhibits different reactivity at low and high internal excess energy. Only at low internal energy the observed fragmentations are as expected, that is the molecular ion 1*+ decomposes almost exclusively by loss of an H atom. The deuterated derivative 1-d2 with an AsD2 group eliminates selectively a D atom under these conditions. The resulting phenylarsenium ion [C6H5AsH]+, 2+, decomposes rather easily by loss of the As atom to give the benzene radical cation [C6H6]*+ and is therefore of low abundance in the 70 eV EI mass spectrum. At high internal excess energy, the ion 1*+ decomposes very differently either by elimination of an H2 molecule, or by release of the As atom, or by loss of an AsH fragment. Final products of these reactions are either the benzoarsenium ion 4*+, or the benzonium ion [C6H7]+, or the benzene radical cation, [C6H6]*+. As key-steps, these fragmentations contain reductive eliminations from the central As atom under H-H or C-H bond formation. Labeling experiments show that H/D exchange reactions precede these fragmentations and, specifically, that complete positional exchange of the H atoms in 1*+ occurs. Computations at the UMP2/6-311+G(d)//UHF/6-311+G(d) level agree best with the experimental results and suggest: (i) 1*+ rearranges (activation enthalpy of 93 kJ mol(-1)) to a distinctly more stable (DeltaH(r)(298) = -64 kJ mol(-1)) isomer 1 sigma*+ with a structure best represented as a distonic radical cation sigma complex between AsH and benzene. (ii) The six H atoms of the benzene moiety of 1 sigma*+ become equivalent by a fast ring walk of the AsH group. (iii) A reversible isomerization 1+<==>1 sigma*+ scrambles eventually all H atoms over all positions in 1*+. The distonic radical cation 1*+ is predisposed for the elimination of an As atom or an AsH fragment. The calculations are in accordance with the experimentally preferred reactions when the As atom and the AsH fragment are generated in the quartet and triplet state, respectively. Alternatively, 1*(+) undergoes a reductive elimination of H2 from the AsH2 group via a remarkably stable complex of the phenylarsandiyl radical cation, [C6H5As]*+ and an H2 molecule.

Elementary supramolecular chemistry in the gas phase: ligand exchange reactions of proton-bound clusters of aliphatic amides and diamides with amines.

The ligand exchange reactions of the proton-bound trimer [(DMF)2...H+...H2NCH3] of dimethylformamide (DMF) and methylamine and of proton-bound dimers [diamide...H+...amine] of three aliphatic primary diamides, succinic diamide, adipinic diamide, and maleic diamide, and of three tertiary diamides N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl succinic diamide, N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl adipinic diamide, and N,N,N,N-tetramethyl bis-endo-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,5-diamide (N,N,N,N'-tetramethyl bis-endo-BCH-2,5-diamide) were investigated by FT-ICR spectrometry. The proton-bound clusters were generated in the external CI ion source of the instrument using the appropriate amine as the CI reagent and primary ionization of the CI gas by electron ionization. The ions were transferred to the FT-ICR cell for measuring the kinetics of the exchange reaction with a reactant base which was present at a constant background pressure in the cell. The trimer [(DMF)2...H...H2NCH3] displays fast exchange reactions with all amines used with exception of pyridine as well as with DMF and DMSO used as polar reactants. The proton-bound trimer shows a "role-specificity" of the components: the amine ligand is exchanged specifically by a more basic amine without observation of any intermediate, while the polar reactants substitute the two DMF ligands of the cluster in two reaction steps. Like proton-bound trimers, the proton-bound dimers [diamide...H+...amine] contain two amide groups interacting with a proton and an amine. In the case of n-propylamine as amine ligand, exchange by a more basic amine is always efficient. However, clusters [diamide...H+...amine] containing trimethylamine show reduced reactivity, which is attributed to a steric hindrance of the proton transfer to the incoming base. Such steric effects can be maximized by generating proton-bound dimers of N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl bis-endo-BCH-2,5-diamide with tertiary amines or amines containing bulky alkyl groups. Thus, the cluster [N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl bis-endo-BCH-2,5-diamide...H+...di-isopropylamine] exhibits a small efficiency of only 0.35% for the exothermic exchange reaction with di-sec-butylamine. The results are used to propose a solvation model for the structure of these proton-bound clusters, in which the ammonium group of the protonated amine is solvated by two amide groups.

Ion/molecule reactions of isomeric bromobutene radical cations with ammonia.

The ion/molecule reaction of the radical cations of three isomeric bromobutenes (2-bromobut-2-ene 1, 1-bromobut-2-ene 2, 4-bromobut-1-ene 3) with ammonia were studied by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance spectrometry to reveal the effect of a different position of the bromo substituent relative to the C-C double bond. Further, the reaction pathways of the ion/molecule reactions were analyzed by theoretical calculations at the level B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d). All three bromobutene radical cations 1(.+) to 3(.+) react efficiently with NH(3). The reactions of 1(.+) carrying the halogen substituent at the double bond follow the pattern observed earlier for other ionized vinylic halogenoalkenes. The major reaction corresponds to proton transfer to NH(3) as to be expected from the high acidity of but-2-ene radical cations exposing six acidic H atoms at allylic positions. The other, still important, reaction of 1(.+) is substitution of the Br substituent by NH(3). Although the radical cations 2(.+) and 3(.+) are expected to be as acidic as 1(.+), proton transfer is the minor reaction pathway of these radical cations. Instead, 2(.+) displays bomo substitution as the major reaction. It is suggested that the mechanism of this reaction is analogous to S(N)2' of nucleophilic allylic substitution. Substitution of Br is not efficient for the reactions of 3(.+)-the two major reactions correspond to C-C bond cleavage of the two possible beta-distonic ammonium ions which are generated by the addition of NH(3) to the ionized double bond of 3. This observation, as well as the results obtained for 1(.+) and 2(.+), emphasize the role of the fast and very exothermic addition of a nucleophile to the ionized double bond for the ion/molecule reactions of alkene radical cations. Clearly the energetically-excited distonic ion arising from the addition fragments unimolecularly by energetically accessible pathways. In the case of a halogene subsituent (except F) at the vinylic or allylic position, this is loss of thesubsituent. In the case of remote halogeno substituents, this is C-C bond cleavage adjacent to the radical site of the distonic ion.

A ring walk of methylene groups in toluene radical cations. An extension of the toluene-cycloheptatriene rearrangement of aromatic radical cations. Theory and experiment.

The minimum energy reaction pathway (MERP) of the toluene-cycloheptatriene radical cation rearrangement (TOL/CHT-rearrangement) has been calculated by the UHF and DFT model at the level UHF/6-311+G(3df,2p)//UHF/6-31G(d) and B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYp/6-31G(d), respectively, including the ring walk of the substituent by a 1,2-shift around the aromatic ring. This ring walk corresponds to interconversion of distonic ions and norcaradiene radical cations (the two intermediates of the TOL/CHT-rearrangement) by making and breaking of the external C-C bonds of the cyclopropane moiety of the intermediate norcaradiene structure. For toluene radical cation 1, UHF calculations adequately reproduce earlier results(4) and show, that the ring walk of the CH(3)-substituents requires slightly more energy than formation of the cycloheptatriene radical cation. By the DFT model, the distonic ion, which is formed initially by a 1,2-H shift from CH(3) to the benzene ring, is not stable but the transition state of an interconversion of norcaradiene radical cations along a ring walk of the CH(3) substituent. The activation energy for this ring walk exceeds that for formation of the cycloheptatriene radical cation by c. 30 kJ mol(-1). Thus, isomerization of 1 by a ring walk of the CH(3)-substituent competes with the TOL/CHT-rearrangement likely only for excited 1. The calculation was repeated for the MERPs of a TOL/CHT-rearrangement of para-xylene radical cation 5 and ethylbenzene radical cation 2, yielding basically the same results as for 1. According to the calculation, polar substituents alter significantly the relative energies of the competing routes of isomerization. For benzylcyanide 3 (X = CN), the activation energy for a ring walk of the NC-CH(2)-substituent is distinctly below that of a ring enlargement. For benzyl methyl ether 4 (X = OCH(3)), the distonic intermediate along the UHF-MERP is unusually stable. Further, the 7-methoxy-norcaradiene radical ion is unstable and corresponds to a transition state between isomeric distonic intermediates differing by a 1,2-shift of the side chain. In contrast, the 7-methoxy-norcaradiene radical ion is the only intermediate of the DFT-MERP, and the distonic ion is the transition state for a 1,2-shift of the cyclopropane ring. A ring walk of the CH(3)OCH(2)-substituent is much more favorable than formation of a 7-methoxy-cycloheptatriene radical cation in both MERPs. The findings of the theoretical calculation are substantiated by the mass spectrometric fragmentations of meta- and para-methoxymethylated 1-phenylethanols 8 and 9 and of para-methoxymethyl substituted benzyl ethyl ether 10 and benzyl n-propyl ether 11. Important fragmentation routes of metastable molecular ions of these compounds correspond to elimination of alcohols. Use of deuterated derivatives shows that the elimination occurs by a "false" ortho-effect which requires migration of a ROCH(2)-substituent around the benzene ring. Results of particular interest are obtained for the asymmetric bis-ethers 10 and 11. Here, the MIKE spectra of the molecular ions of deuterated analogs reveal a selective ring walk of the C(2)H(5)OCH(2)- and n-C(3)H(7)OCH(2)-side chain, respectively.

Effects of internal hydrogen bonds between amide groups: protonation of alicyclic diamides.

The proton affinity (PA) of cyclopentane carboxamide 1, cyclohexane carboxamide 2 and their secondary and tertiary amide derivatives S1, S2, T1 and T2, was determined by the thermokinetic method and the kinetic method [PA(1) = 888 +/- 5 kJ mol(1); PA(2) = 892 +/- 5 kJ mol(1); PA(S1) = 920 +/- 6 kJ mol(1); PA(S2) = 920 +/- 6 kJ mol(1); PA(T1) = 938 +/- 6 kJ mol(1); PA(T2) = 938 +/- 6 kJ mol(1)]. Special entropy effects are not observed. Additionally, the effects of protonation have been studied using an advanced kinetic method for all isomers 37 of cyclopentane dicarboxamides and cyclohexane dicarboxamides (with the exception of cis-cyclopentane-1,2-dicarboxamide) and their bis-tertiary derivatives T3T7 by estimating the PA and the apparent entropy of protonation Delta(DeltaS(app)). Finally, the study was extended to bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene-2,3-dicarboxamide 8 and its bis-tertiary derivative T8, to all stereoisomers of bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxamide 9, their secondary and tertiary amide derivatives S9 and T9, and to endoendobicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,5-dicarboxamide 10 and the corresponding secondary and tertiary derivatives S10 and T10. Compared with 1 and 2, all alicyclic diamides exhibit a significant increase of the PA (DeltaPA) and special entropy effects on protonation. For alicyclic diamides, which can not accommodate a conformation appropriate for building a proton bridge, the values of DeltaPA and Delta(DeltaS(app)) are small to moderate. This is explained by ion / dipole interactions between the protonated and neutral amide group which stabilize the protonated species but hinder the free rotation of the amide groups. If any of the conformations of the alicyclic diamide allows formation of a proton bridge, DeltaPA and Delta(DeltaS(app)) increase considerably. A spectacular case is cis-cyclohexane-1,4-dicarboxamide 7c which is the most basic monocyclic diamide, although generation of the proton bridge requires the unfavorable boat conformation with both amide substituents at a flagpole position. A pre-orientation of the two amide groups in such a 1,4-position in 10 results in a particularly large PA of < 1000 kJ mol(1). The observation of comparable values for Delta(DeltaS(app)) for linear and monocyclic diamides indicates that a major part of the entropy effects originates from freezing the free rotation of the amide groups by formation of the proton bridge. This is corroborated by observing corresponding effects during the protonation of dicarboxamides containing the rigid bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane carbon skeleton, where the only internal movements of the molecules corresponds to rotation of the amide substituents.

Proton bound homodimers and heterodimers of amides and amines in the gas phase. Equilibrium studies by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance spectrometry.

By injection of the proton bound homodimer [DMF.H+.DMF] of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) generated in an external ion source into a mixture of DMF and a second base within the cell of a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) spectrometer the equilibria between [DMF.H+.DMF] and the other possible proton bound dimers [DMF.H+.base] and [base.H+.base] have been studied for 13 different bases. Strongly polar bases like aliphatic amides and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) exchange both DMF in [DMF.H+.DMF] by a two step process, while the almost non-polar amines exchange only one DMF. If the base is a primary or secondary amine, the proton bound heterodimer [DMF.H+.amine] reacts further by the addition of one DMF to create a proton bound trimer [(DMF)2.H+.amine]. The affinity deltaG(DMFH+) of the bases towards protonated DMF relative to neutral DMF depends linearly on the difference deltaGB of the gas phase basicity of DMF and the other base, but different correlation lines are obtained for polar and non-polar ligands (deltaGDMFH+ = 0.44GB(base)-375 [kJ/mol] (r = 0.97) and deltaGDMFH+ = 0.46GB(base)-397 [kJ/mol] (r = 0.99), respectively). This different behavior is explained by a different character of the proton bridge in the heterodimers containing only polar ligands and those incorporating a non-polar ligand besides DMF. The former dimers contain a more or less symmetric proton bridge while the latter can be viewed as a protonated base solvated by DMF. The available data have been used to calculate the molecular pair gas phase basicity of DMF and the 13 bases used and to estimate the dissociation energies of the bonds of the proton bridge in various proton bound heterodimers.