Understanding Nontraditional Differential Mobility Behavior: A Case Study of the Tricarbastannatrane Cation, N(CH2CH2CH2)3Sn.

The effect of strong ion-solvent interactions on the differential mobility behavior of the tricarbastannatrane cation, N(CH2CH2CH2)3Sn+, has been investigated. Exotic "type D" dispersion behavior, which is intermediate to the more common types C and A behavior, is observed for gaseous N2 environments that are seeded with acetone and acetonitrile vapor. Quantum chemical calculations and first-principles modeling show that under low-field conditions [N(CH2CH2CH2)3Sn + solvent]+ complexes containing a single solvent molecule survive the entire separation waveform duty cycle and interact weakly with the chemically modified environment. However, at high separation voltages, the ion-solvent bond dissociates and dynamic clustering ensues.