Gas-Phase Reactivity of Carbonate Ions with Sulfur Dioxide: an Experimental Study of Clusters Reactions.

The reactivity of carbonate cluster ions with sulfur dioxide has been investigated in the gas phase by mass spectrometric techniques. SO2 promotes the displacement of carbon dioxide from carbonate clusters through a stepwise mechanism, leading to the quantitative conversion of the carbonate aggregates into the corresponding sulfite cluster ions. The kinetic study of the reactions of positive, negative, singly, and doubly charged ions reveals very fast and efficient processes for all the carbonate ions.