In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden mesoporöse Materialien erfolgreich mit magnetischen bzw. katalytisch aktiven Nanopartikeln funktionalisiert, wobei zwei unterschiedliche Synthesestrategien verfolgt wurden. Zum einen erfolgte eine direkte Integration der katalytisch aktiven CeO2-Nanopartikel in poröse, thermisch stabile SiC-Matrizes mithilfe der inversen Mikroemulsionsmethode. Die Größe dieses wässrigen, cersalzhaltigen Nanoreaktors konnte über den RW-Wert (molares Wasser-Tensid-Verhältnis) im Bereich von 2,0-9,9 nm mit einer engen Größenverteilung variiert werden. Für katalytische Untersuchungen wurden die Cerhydroxidpartikel aus dem Mikroemulsionssystem ausgefällt und bei 100-600 °C calciniert. Dabei konnte eine größenabhängige Aktivität der Nanopartikel in der Rußverbrennung nachgewiesen werden, wobei eine Herabsetzung der Rußverbrennungstemperatur um bis zu 239 K nachgewiesen werden konnte. Weiterhin konnten polymere CeO2-SiC Vorläuferverbindungen durch Zugabe einer flüssigen, präkeramischen Vorläuferverbindung (Polycarbosilan) zum Mikroemulsionssystem hergestellt werden, wobei flüssig prozessierbare, transparente Lösungen resultierten. Anschließend erfolgte nach Entfernung der flüchtigen Bestandteile die Pyrolyse zur Bildung der CeO2-SiC-Keramiken. In Abhängigkeit von den Pyrolysebedingungen konnten kristalline SiC-Strukturen mit spezifischen Oberflächen von bis zu 240 m2/g nachgewiesen werden. In weiteren Untersuchungen konnte die Modularität dieses neuartigen Synthesekonzeptes demonstriert werden, indem Platin als zusätzliche Aktivkomponente in das bestehende Mikroemulsionssystem integriert wurde. Im Gegensatz zu den platinfreien Systemen erfolgte eine Vernetzungsreaktion infolge der Pt-katalysierten Vernetzungsreaktion des allylgruppenhaltigen Polycarbosilans, mit spezifischen Oberflächen von bis zu 896 m2/g. Anhand von TEM-Untersuchungen konnte eine hohe Dispersion der CeO2-Aktivkomponente mit Partikelgrößen von 2-3 nm gezeigt werden. Durch die Zugabe von Divinylbenzol als Kreuzvernetzungskomponente konnte neben einer weiteren Erhöhung der Oberfläche auf 992 m2/g auch die Hydrophobizität des Polymerkomposits signifikant erhöht werden. In einer zweiten Synthesestrategie wurden intermetallische MPt-Systeme (M=Fe, Co, Ni) durch Infiltration geeigneter Vorläuferverbindungen und anschließender Thermolyse in geordneten mesoporösen SiO2- bzw. Kohlenstoffmaterialien synthetisiert. Die Phasenbildung in Abhängigkeit von den Thermolysebedingungen wurde mithilfe der Röntgenpulverdiffraktometrie untersucht. Dabei wurden nach der Reduktion bei 400 °C ungeordnete fcc-MPt-Legierungen mit superparamagnetischen Eigenschaften erhalten. Dagegen resultierte für FePt-Systeme nach der Reduktion bei 750 °C bis 800 °C eine deutliche Zunahme der Raumtemperaturkoerzitivitäten auf bis zu 28,35 kOe (FePt@CMK-3) bzw. 15,60 kOe (FePt@SBA-15) infolge der Bildung der intermetallischen fct-FePt Verbindung. Weiterhin wurden die strukturellen sowie magnetischen Eigenschaften der FePt-Nanopartikel in Abhängigkeit vom Massenanteil sowie der Porengröße bzw. -geometrie der porösen Silicatemplate untersucht. Dabei konnte eine starke Abhängigkeit der Raumtemperaturkoerzitivität von der Porenstruktur sowie den jeweiligen Reduktionsbedingungen nachgewiesen werden. Ein weiterer Aspekt dieser Arbeit war die Synthese hochporöser CDC-Kohlenstoffmaterialien (CDC: carbide derived carbon) durch die Chlorierung nichtoxidischer SiC-Keramiken. Hierbei wurde das Silicium der mesoskopisch geordneten SiC-Strukturen durch Umsetzung mit Chlor bei unterschiedlichen Thermolysebedingungen extrahiert. Die resultierenden CDC-Materialien wiesen neben sehr hohen spezifischen Oberflächen von bis zu 2865 m2/g bzw. Porenvolumina von 2,21 cm3/g auch eine von der SiC-Struktur sowie den Chlorierungsbedingungen abhängige mesoskopische Ordnung auf. Die mesoporösen CDC-Materialien eignen sich als Sorbentien mit hohen Butan- bzw. Wasserstoffspeicherkapazitäten von 0,692 gButan/gCDC (25 °C: 80 Vol% Butan) bzw. 2,58 gew% (77 K: 1 bar). Daneben resultieren überaus hohe gravimetrische Methanspeicherkapazitäten von 0,191 g Methan/gCDC im Hochdruckbereich (25 °C, 100 bar), die deutlich größer sind als die bekannter Metallorganischer Gerüstverbindungen. / Ordered mesoporous materials were successfully functionalized with magnetic and catalytic active nanoparticles. Two different synthesis strategies were employed. Cerium oxide nanoparticle containing silicon carbide composites were synthesized by direct incorporation of catalytic active CeO2 nanoparticles in preceramic polycarbosilane using inverse microemulsion technique and subsequent pyrolysis. Resulting ceramic composites offer specific surface up to 240 m2/g and a narrow pore sizes in the range of 4-6 nm. Additionally porous Pt containing CeO2-SiC composites were prepared demonstrating the versitibilty of this new synthesis strategy. Catalytic activity of ceria nanoparticles were shown in soot combustion reaction. In a second approach intermetallic MPt nanoparticles (M= fe, Co, Ni) were synthesized inside the pores of ordered mesoporous silica and carbon materials. Crystalline structure and particles size were controlled by the porous template and the annealing conditions. Very high room temperature coercivities up to 28.4 koe were obtained for intermetallic FePt nanoparticles in mesoporus carbon matrices. Catalytic activity of FePt silica composites were demonstrated in selective acetylene hydration. Furthermore high porous, mesostructured carbon materials (CDC: carbide derived carbon) were prepared by chlorination of ordered mesoporous silica resulting extraordinary high specific surface areas up 2865 m2/g, high pore volunina up to 2.21 cm3/g and mesoscopic ordering. These new carbon structures are appropriate as high performance energy storage materials.

<p>The convective drying of thin layers of multicomponentliquid mixtures into an inert gas, and the influence ofdifferent process controlling mechanisms on drying selectivityis studied. Drying experiments under gas-phase-controlledconditions are performed by low intensity evaporation, fromfree liquid surfaces, of ternary mixtures without non-volatilesolutes. Liquid-side-controlled experiments are carried out bydrying a multicomponent polymeric solution containing twovolatile components, one non-volatile polymer and an optionalnonvolatile softening substance.</p><p>Mathematical models to describe gas- andliquid-side-controlled drying based on interactive diffusion inboth liquid and gas phases as the main mechanisms for masstransfer are developed. For gas-phase-controlled drying, astability analysis of the ordinary differential equations thatdescribes the evaporation process is performed. Isothermal andnon-isothermal drying processes are considered in batch andcontinuous modes. The mathematical model to describe thecomposition profiles during batch drying of the polymeric film,considering liquid resistance, is solved numerically. Due tothe lack of experimental data, properties for this polymericsystem are estimated by using established methods. Ananalytical solution of the diffusion equation, by assuming anisothermal drying process and a constant matrix ofmulticomponent diffusion coefficients is developed. For thecontinuous case, liquid-side resistance is studied by modellingevaporation of a multicomponent falling liquid film into aninert gas including indirect heating.</p><p>The results of the gas-phase-controlled model are in goodagreement with experimental results. For the polymeric film,the agreement is only qualitative since the model does notaccount for a membrane that develops on the film surface. Thestability analysis permits the prediction of trajectories andfinal state of a liquid mixture in a gas-phase-controlleddrying process. For isothermal evaporation of ternary mixturesinto pure gas, the solutions are trajectories in the phaseplane represented by a triangular diagram of compositions. Thepredicted ternary dynamic azeotropic points are unstable orsaddle. On the other hand, binary azeotropes are stable whenthe combination of the selectivities of the correspondingcomponents is negative. In addition, pure component singularpoints are stable when they are contained within theirrespective isolated negative selectivity zones. Undernon-isothermal conditions, maximum temperature valuescharacterise stable azeotropes. Incremental loading of the gaswith one or more of the components leads to a node-saddlebifurcation, where a saddle azeotrope and a stable azeotropecoalesce and disappear. For continuous drying, the singularpoints are infinite and represent dynamic equilibrium pointswhose stability is mainly dependent on the ratio of inletgas-to-liquid flow rates. As long as the process isgas-phasecontrolled, these results also apply to a porous solidcontaining a liquid mixture.</p><p>In general, liquid-side control makes the drying processless selective but it is difficult to maintain this conditionduring the whole process. Under the influence of its owndynamics, a process starting as liquid-side-controlled tendstowards a gas-phase-controlled process. The presence ofnon-volatile components and indirect heating may delay thisdevelopment. Considering the evolution of the processcontrolling steps and its influence on selectivity, a modelaimed at describing the complete trajectory of a drying orevaporation process must include the coexistence of allrelevant mechanisms.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>ternary mixture, falling film, diffusionequation, gas-phase control, liquid-phase control, selectivity,stability analysis, polymeric solution, evaporation, azeotrope,batch drying, continuous drying.</p>

Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde eine neuartige Methode und die entsprechenden Katalysatoren für die heterogen katalysierte Gasphasen-Epoxidation von Propen entwickelt und optimiert. Das Propen wurde an FeOx/SiO2-Katalysatoren mit N2O als Oxidationsmittel epoxidiert. Die Katalysatoren wurden mittels XRD, TEM, XPS, Physi- und Chemisorption, TPR/TPO, TPD und IR untersucht und charakterisiert. Der Einfluß der Reaktionsbedingungen auf die Oxidationsergebnisse wurde bestimmt und Untersuchungen zum Reaktionsablauf durchgeführt. Es wurden Selektivitäten zu Propenoxid von 40-70%, bei Propenumsätzen von 3-12%, erreicht. Die maximalen erzielten PO-Ausbeuten betrugen über 5%, und sind damit den berichteten Ergebnisse aus der Literatur überlegen.

科学研究費補助金 研究種目:基盤研究(A)(2) 課題番号:11305004 研究代表者:後藤 俊夫 研究期間:1999-2001年度

Identification of trace unknown analytes in complex samples remains a significant challenge for analytical chemistry. Mass spectrometry (MS) and analytical separations techniques can now be used to develop and support a new analytical strategy called non-target analysis which aims to provide comprehensive identification and quantification of all detectable chemical species in a complex sample. This thesis addresses challenges currently limiting the utility of this non-target approach by developing analytical methods for acquiring MS data suitable for identification of trace unknowns and investigating current tools available for unknown identification from MS spectral data. Liquid chromatography (LC) - MS, a widely used technique in trace analysis, was used to develop an analytical method capable of simultaneously acquiring high resolution MS and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data for hundreds of metabolites in urine. An emerging separation technique called high field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) was also investigated, as an alternative to LC, for the identification of non-target analytes in urine. Modifications were carried out to the FAIMS-MS source interface allowing for transmission of small metabolite ions from FAIMS to MS. The challenge of direct electrospray (ESI) in urine analysis using ESI-FAIMS-MS was addressed by using sample dilution and extending MS data acquisition time using FAIMS. This allowed for higher quality MS data to be acquired for low abundance urinary metabolites than was possible by LC-MS and the complete elimination of ionization suppression in dilute urine samples. Insight gained into ESI suppression in complex samples allowed for two methods of semi-quantification to be proposed for non-target analytes in complex samples without using unavailable chemical standards. To address the challenge of unknown identification, faced throughout this thesis, an integrated approach was implemented to identify metabolites based only on spectral data without the usual requirement of availability of chemical standards. This approach combined spectral libraries, literature reports on ion chemistry and de novo identification based on gas phase ion chemistry with a detailed fragmentation study on nucleic acid bases, notably protonated uracil. Together, the instrumental methods and approaches to data analysis described allowed for the identification of 110 abundant chemical species detected in urine. / Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Canadian Foundation for Innovation

A laser flash photolysis resonance fluorescence (LFP-RF) technique has been employed to study the kinetics of the reactions of methylvinyl ketone (MVK) with atomic bromine (Br) and atomic chlorine (Cl) as a function of temperature (203 755 K) and pressure (12 600 Torr) in nitrogen bath gas. The results of this study are also compared to published kinetics studies for similar reactions. Over the temperature range 200 K < T < 250 K for the reaction of Br with MVK, measured rate coefficients were pressure dependent suggesting the formation of an adduct. The adduct undergoes dissociation on the time scale of the experiments (< 0.1 s) and establishes an equilibrium between Br, MVK, and MVK Br. At temperatures above 298 K no reaction of Br with MVK was observed. Similarly, over the temperature range 405 K < T < 510 K, the reaction of Cl with MVK shows similar kinetics to that of Br and MVK suggesting an equilibrium is established. Equilibrium constants for adduct dissociation and formation are determined for the forward and reverse rate coefficients in both reactions. Second and third-law analyses are carried out to obtain information about the thermochemistry of the equilibrium reactions for Br with MVK and Cl with MVK. Adduct bond strengths of Br and Cl reactions with MVK are reported and compared to reactions with other unsaturated species. Ab initio calculations for these reactions are also presented in this study. Excellent agreement is observed between theory and experiment. Additionally, a reaction of Cl with MVK was observed over the temperature ranges 600 K < T < 760 K and 210 K < T < 365 K. At the lower temperatures, measured rate coefficients are also pressure dependent, however, the adduct remained stable. At the highest temperatures, the measured rate coefficients were pressure independent, suggesting hydrogen abstraction as the dominant reaction pathway. Energetics obtained from ab initio calculations suggest that only abstraction of the methyl hydrogen is likely to occur at a measurable rate in the temperature range investigated.

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) separates ions on the basis of ion-neutral collision cross-sections (CCS, [omega]), which are determined by the geometry or conformation of the ions. The size-based IM separation can be extended to distinguish conformers that have different shapes in cases where shape differences influence the accessible surface area of the molecule. In recent years, IM has rapidly evolved as a structural characterization technique, which has applied on various structural biology problems. In this work, IMS is combined with molecular dynamics simulation (MDS), specially the integrated tempering sampling molecular dynamics simulation (ITS-MDS) to explore the gas-phase conformation space of two molecular systems (i) protonated tryptophan zipper 1 (trpzip1) ions and its six derivatives (ii) alkali metal ion (Na, K and Cs) adducts of gramicidin A (GA). The structural distributions obtained from ITS-MDS are compared well with results obtained from matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-ion mobility-mass spectrometry (MALDI-IM-MS) for trpzip 1 series and electrospray ionization-ion mobility-mass spectrometry (ESI-IM-MS) for alkali metal ion adducts of GA. Furthermore, the solvent dependence on conformational preferences of the GA dimer is investigated using a combination of mass spectrometry techniques, viz. ESI-IM-MS and hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX)-MS, and MDS. The IM experiments reveal three distinct gramicidin A species, detected as the sodium ion adduct ions, [2GA + 2Na]²⁺, and the equilibrium abundances of the dimer ions varies with solvent polarity. The solution phase conformations are assigned as the parallel and anti-parallel [beta]-helix dimer, and the anti-parallel dimer is the preferred conformation in non-polar organic solvent. The calculated CCS profiles by ITS-MDS agree very well with the experimentally measured CCS profiles, which underscore the utility of the method for determining candidate structures as well as the relative abundances of the candidate structures. The benefit of combining ion mobility measurements with solution-phase H/D exchange is allowing identifications and detail analysis of the solution-phase subgroup conformations, which cannot be uncovered by one method alone.

Une des meilleures sources d’énergie verte serait d’être capable de casser une molécule d’eau à partir du rayonnement visible fourni par le soleil, afin de générer du H$_2$. L’eau présente le don d’ubiquité sur terre puisqu’elle est présente, sous ses trois phases, dans les océans, la terre et l’atmosphère. Cependant, une énergie de 6.66 eV (VUV) est nécessaire pour rompre directement une des liaisons covalentes de l’eau. Dans ce travail, nous montrons qu’il est possible de dissocier l’eau si celle-ci est associée à un catalyseur photosensible de nature organique, dont les prototypes absorbent dans l’UV, comme la Pyridine (Py). Un récent travail théorique prédit que la Py peut jouer le rôle de ce photocatalyseur, suivant la réaction : Py-H$_2$O + h$\nu_1 \to$ Py*-H$_2$O $\to$ PyH$\bullet$ + OH$\bullet$Pour tester ce modèle théorique nous avons étudié le complexe Py-eau isolé dans un cluster moléculaire froid. Nous avons caractérisé la spectroscopie électronique du PyH$\bullet$ en phase gazeuse et nous avons mis en évidence cette réaction de photodissociation par irradiation UV de clusters Py-(H$_2$O)$_n$. Nous avons aussi testé ce système en matrices cryogéniques pour évaluer l’effet de la solvatation solide. La dernière étape du processus, la régénération du photocatalyseur par absorption d’un deuxième photon UV (PyH$\bullet$ + h$\nu \to$ Py + H$\bullet$) à été aussi prouvé. Il semblerait que seuls les radicaux PyH$\bullet$ chauds soient capables d’engendrer cette dernière réaction.A l’heure actuelle, nous explorons de nouveaux systèmes moléculaires prototypes susceptibles de conduire au même phénomène. / A major challenge to generate green energy from sunlight would be to split water which is a ubiquitous molecule to produce H$_2$. However VUV light (6.66 eV) is needed to dissociate the H-OH covalent bond. In this work we will show that it is possible to dissociate water via photo-sensitisation with UVC light, using a simple organic catalyst.Recently, ab-initio calculations predict that pyridine (Py) can act as a photo-catalyst to split water by absorption of a UV photon, following the reaction:Py-H$_2$O + h$\nu_1 \to$ Py*-H$_2$O $\to$ PyH$\bullet$ + OH$\bullet$ To test this prediction, we studied the Py-H$_2$O complex in isolated cold molecular cluster and the system trapped in cryogenic matrices. We characterized the electronic spectroscopy of the PyH$\bullet$ in the gas phase and we evidenced the reaction through UV excitation of Py-(H$_2$O) $_n$ clusters. We have evidenced that the reaction leads PyH$\bullet$ as photoproduct of the reaction. We also evidenced that the surrounding conditions play an important role in the reaction.We have demonstrated that the UV excitation of Py-water clusters leads to the formation of PyH$\bullet$, thus we have evidenced the water splitting reaction. The last step of the process, that is the regeneration of the catalyst by absorption of a second UV photon (PyH$\bullet$ + h$\nu \to$ Py + H$\bullet$) has been studied and it seems that only hot PyH$\bullet$ molecules are able to follow this channel. In the present, we are studying other aromatic molecules which are expected to lead the photochemical dissociation of water.

La phase initiale (de quelque fractions de seconde à quelques minutes) de la polymérisation catalytique des oléfines est encore peu comprise. Elle est pourtant reconnue comme une étape cruciale pour contrôler la morphologie de la particule de polymère et pour garantir la performance optimale du catalyseur et une certaine stabilité thermique du procédé. Ce travail présente l'étude et l'optimisation d'un mini réacteur à lit fixe pour mener des polymérisations catalytiques en phase gaz avec des durées très faibles (minimum 0.1s) dans des conditions proches à celles utilisées industriellement. La possibilité de suivre la température du gaz et de récupérer les particules de polymère pour les caractériser permet de décrire d'une façon complète le comportement du catalyseur au début de la réaction. L'étude a été limitée à la polymérisation de l'éthylène (avec un catalyseur métallocène supporté sur silice) et l'attention a été particulièrement mise sur la relation entre transfert de chaleur de la particule et performance du catalyseur. Il a été montré que des températures trop élevées peuvent être responsable localement de la modification du comportement du site active et de l'altération des propriétés des polymères. Un choix adéquat des conditions de réaction permet de suivre indirectement l'évolution de la température des particules en mesurant celle de la phase gaz. Dans un deuxième temps différents métallocènes ont été utilisés pour étudier l'influence des conditions de réaction, de la préparation du catalyseur et des propriétés du support sur l'activité, les propriétés du polymère et la morphologie des particules au temps court. Une attention particulière a été portée sur l'évolution des sites actifs et sur la cristallisation des chaînes de polymère dans un support poreux en évolution. Une activité élevée a été mesurée dans les premières cinq secondes et les températures de fusion et cristallisation des polymères ont été utilisées comme sondes pour mesurer l'avancement de la fragmentation du support. Les résultats ainsi obtenus peuvent non seulement clarifier certains aspects clé du début de la polymérisation mais aussi être utilisés comme donnés de départ pour modéliser la particule en croissance et contribuer à réduire l'écart qui est actuellement présent entre comportement réel du catalyseur et prédictions des modèles / The early stages (from less than 1s to few minutes) of catalytic olefin polymerization are still fairly understood even if they are nowadays recognized to be crucial for the determination of the morphology of the polymer particle, the optimization of the whole catalyst performance and the thermal stability of the process. In this work we will present how we studied and optimized a specially conceived packed bed reactor to perform gas phase catalytic olefin polymerizations as short as 0.1s under industrially relevant conditions. The possibility to measure the reactor temperature and to recover unaltered the polymer particles allows to take a complete picture of the catalyst behavior at the reaction start-up. The study will be restrained to ethylene polymerization with silica supported metallocenes and special attention will be given to the relation between heat transfer from the growing particle and catalyst performance. It will be seen how particle temperature evolution can be followed indirectly by measuring the gas phase temperature .In the second part of this work different metallocene complexes will be used to study the influence of process conditions, catalyst preparation method and support properties on the evolution of reaction rate, and polymer MWD during the first reaction seconds. Special attention will be given to the active site evolution during the transient phase and it will be shown that temperature excursions can be responsible for a local variation in active site behavior thus altering the properties of the formed polymer. The last section will be dedicated to the study of the peculiar crystallization behavior of the polymer chains in an evolving inorganic support. It will be shown how the melting and crystallization temperatures of the polymers can be used as “sensors” to measure the degree of fragmentation of the support particle. The results obtained in this work allow to gain a deeper understanding of the key parameters for the polymerization start-up and can be used as input for single particle models thus allowing to reduce the gap actually present between real catalyst behavior and model predictions

En plus d’être l’intermédiaire entre l’ADN et les protéines, l’ARN est impliqué dans plusieurs processus biologiques : régulation et expression des gènes (riboswitches, ARNm et ARNt) ou encore catalyse (ribozymes). La fonction de chaque ARN est liée à sa structure et à sa dynamique de repliement. Des cations tel que le magnésium se lient à l’ARN et peuvent être essentiels au bon repliement et à la stabilité de ces structures. L’obtention de détails structuraux et thermodynamiques sur l’interaction avec le magnésium a donc une grande importance dans la compréhension de la relation structure-fonction. La première partie de ce travail a consisté en la caractérisation des équilibres de liaison entre le magnésium et des motifs d’ARN modèles, appelés « kissing complexes », par spectrométrie de masse native (SM). Grâce à la SM, il est possible de distinguer les stoechiométries de liaison du magnésium. Le travail présenté ici a permis l’élaboration d’une méthode pour quantifier chaque espèce en prenant en compte la distribution d’adduits non-spécifiques. Afin d’aller plus loin dans la localisation du magnésium, nous avons utilisé la spectrométrie de masse en tandem (SM/SM). Nous avons également étudié le comportement des complexes d’ARN en phase gazeuse en utilisant la spectrométrie de mobilité ionique (SMI), avec pour but de détecter des changements de conformation dus à la liaison de cations ou ligands. Contrairement à ce qui était anticipé, nous avons démontré que les duplexes d’ADN et ARN ainsi que les « kissing complexes » subissaient une compaction significative en phase gazeuse aux états de charge initialement obtenus par SM native, ce qui pourrait cacher l’effet des cations. Notre travail a montré comment la spectrométrie de masse peut apporter de nouvelles indications sur les stoechiométries et affinités entre ARN et cations, et discute de certaines limitations quant à l’utilisation de techniques en phase gazeuse pour explorer les structures en solution. / Besides being the molecular intermediate between DNA and proteins, RNA can have many other functions such as gene regulation (riboswitches), gene expression (mRNA and tRNA) or catalysis (ribozymes). RNA function is linked to its structure and its folding dynamics. Cations such as magnesium bind to RNA and are in some instances essential for proper folding and for stability. The need of structural and thermodynamic details about Mg2+ interactions is then of upmost importance in the study of the structurefunction relationships. The first part of our work consists in characterizing the binding equilibria between magnesium and RNA model motifs, called kissing complexes, using native mass spectrometry (MS). MS makes it possible to distinguish individual binding stoichiometries, and the present work consisted in developing a method to quantify each species, taking into account the contribution of nonspecific adducts. We also explored how tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) could further help localizing magnesium ions. Further, we explored the structures of RNA complexes in the gas phase using ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMMS), with the aim to detect shape changes upon cation or ligand binding. But in contrast with anticipations, we found that DNA and RNA duplexes as well as RNA kissing complexes undergo a significant compaction at charge states naturally produced by native ESI-MS, which may hide the effect of cations. Our work showcases how mass spectrometry can bring novel information on RNA-cation binding stoichiometries and affinities, but also discusses some limitations of a gas-phase method to probe solution structures.