Gas phase reactions of La2+ with small alkanes

Photodissociation of singly and doubly charged LaC3H6 give a number of photofragments. The singly charged ion photofragments by loss of H2, 2H2, CH4, C2H4, and C3H6. Surprisingly, the doubly charged species photofragments to give losses of H· and CH3·, as well as H2, CH4, and CH3H6. The loss of radicals is not seen in the photodissociation of most singly charged organometallic ions. The thresholds for these processes can be determined and are equal to their bond energies. These bond energies are then used to compare the bonding in the singly vs. doubly charged species. The most interesting fact with regard to these bond energies is that the LaC3H62+ is less strongly bound than LaC3H6+ by about 25 kcal/mol. some possible reasons for this difference are discussed