Sulphur dioxide cooperation in hydrolysis reactions of vanadium oxide and hydroxide cluster dianions

Unprecedented hydrolysis reactions are observed in the gas phase in clusters containing doublycharged vanadium oxides and hydroxide anions, SO2 and H2O. The experimental and computational study shows the cooperative effects of the vanadium species, V2O62- and HV3O92-, and sulfur dioxide on the enhancement of the hydrogen bonds of water that allows the acid-base reaction and charge separation in the doubly-charged ion.