Capture of CO₂ by a Cationic Nickel(I) Complex in the Gas Phase and Characterization of the Bound, Activated CO₂ Molecule by Cryogenic Ion Vibrational Predissociation Spectroscopy

Abstract

Abstract We describe a systematic method for the preparation and spectroscopic characterization of a CO 2 molecule coordinated to an activated bisphenoidal nickel(I) compound containing a tetraazamacrocyclic ligand in the gas phase. The resulting complex was then structurally characterized by using mass‐selected vibrational predissociation spectroscopy. The results indicate that a highly distorted CO 2 molecule is bound to the metal center in an η 2 ‐C,O coordination mode, thus establishing an efficient and rational method for the preparation of metal‐activated CO 2 for further studies using ion chemistry techniques.