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Posted on 10/25/2010 7:20:57 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
The chemistry used to make a rare argon-carbene cation may hold the key to hydrocarbon formation on Saturn's largest moon, claim European researchers.
Detlef Schröder from the Academy of Sciences in Prague, Czech Republic, and co-workers have made a noble-gas compound by colliding argon with dications. Using experimental and theoretical studies they showed that bromomethane (CH3Br) can be ionised to the molecular dication CH3Br2+ - that can rearrange to the tautomer CH2BrH2+. The reaction of this dication with argon leads to the argon-carbene cation (ArCH2+).1 Schröder also made the corresponding carbene cation for other noble gases, including krypton and xenon.
Their work could shed light on the mysteries of the upper part of Titan's atmosphere - the ionosphere - that is known to consist of complex hydrocarbons. Previously scientists have struggled to explain how these are formed.
Stephen Price, from University College London, UK, agrees saying that 'in recent years the bond-forming chemistry of molecular doubly-charged ions has been implicated in environments as varied as the interstellar medium and planetary ionospheres.' And Schröder has shown before that dications are involved in the growth of hydrocarbons on Titan.2
Compounds containing noble-gases are rare because they are notoriously difficult to make. With most needing to contain highly electronegative elements - such as fluorine, iodine, oxygen - that are capable of attacking the closed-shell configuration of electrons of the noble gas atoms.
Price adds that, 'the synthesis of argon-carbon bonds using doubly-charged molecular reagents, further extends the range of fields in which the chemistry of gas-phase dications is potentially important.'
(Excerpt) Read more at rsc.org ...
First! (?)
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I wish I understood. Sounds cool. And, I always marvel at the science in other places/planets and how they came to be.
I’m sure we could send some NASA muzzies up there and if they get allpissy we just put outr finger on the red buton. Saturn...hmm we’ve already been there( 60’s show Lost In Space-none-fiction). Seriously though interesting article.
Darn it, you made me look up the words
dication
A dication is any cation, of general formula 2+,
formed by the removal of two electrons from a neutral species.
Not that it helped me much...
But it explained why a noble gas would react with it
But the problem is that Argon is an extremely heavy gas and isn’t likely to existing any Titan’s upper atmosphere at all.
In find it interesting that we have *several* planets that have lots of hydrocarbon content in their atmosphere (obviously from non-life based sources) and yet somehow on earth, it’s got to be *dead dinosaur crap* that forms the vast extent of our hydrocarbons.
But if there was the continual formation of hydrocarbon material deep in the earth, there would be no *peak oil* — and prices would not be speculating the way they are today.....
Don't tell Willie Green!
So, instead of raining vi o lets, it rains what on Titan? Di-cations?
All I know is that I am afraid of ACID RAIN!!!!!
I only included those because I was hoping someone would tell me what they are.
If no one would look for it, it wouldn’t work that way. :’)
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