Terry B. McMahon

Professor Emeritus, University Professor

Terry B. McMahon Terry McMahon's research program is directed toward the investigation of structure, energetic and reaction dynamics of gaseous ions. Most recently, the majority of his work has focussed on cluster ions. To carry out this research, he uses High Pressure Mass Spectrometry (HPMS) and Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance (FTICR) spectrometers.

He has been named University Professor and has received the F.P. Lossing and John C. Polanyi Awards in 2015.

Contact information
Office: C2 272
Phone: 519-888-4567, ext. 84591
Email: mcmahon@uwaterloo.ca
Website: Terry B. McMahon

Expertise

Gaseous ion energetics and structure
Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance spectrometry
High pressure mass spectrometry
Infrared multiple photon dissociation
Ion-molecule reaction dynamics

Research

The McMahon group investigates structures, energetics and reaction dynamics of gaseous ions. The majority of their work uses high pressure mass spectrometry (HPMS) to explore cluster ions. HPMS is uniquely suited for determining the energetics of gaseous ion-molecule equilibria, particularly those associated with ion-molecule clustering and exchange reactions. Using this technique, they have amassed a considerable database for the energetics and kinetics of a wide variety of cluster species.

Over the past decade, they have also used the free electron laser at the Centre Laser Infrarouge d’Orsay (CLIO, Université Paris-Sud XI) to perform infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy experiments in the mid-infrared ‘fingerprint’ region. This is a form of consequence spectroscopy that allows detailed ion structures to be identified from characteristic absorption frequencies. These experiments are supported by high-performance quantum chemical calculations at Waterloo that help reveal the intrinsic properties of gas-phase ions.

Teaching

Recent course offerings have included physical & chemical properties of matter and chemical reactions, equilibria & kinetics.

Highlighted Publications

Recent publications include

Featherstone, J., Chong, T., Martens, J. K., Oomens, J., & McMahon, T. B. (2018). Inverse Sandwich Cyclopentadienyl Complexes of Sodium in the Gas Phase. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 122(43), 8659-8664.
Ieritano, C., Featherstone, J., Carr, P. J., Marta, R. A., Loire, E., McMahon, T. B., & Hopkins, W. S. (2018). The structures and properties of anionic tryptophan complexes. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 20(41), 26532-26541.
Fu, W., Carr, P. J., Lecours, M. J., Burt, M., Marta, R. A., Steinmetz, V., ... & Hopkins, W. S. (2017). Intramolecular cation–π interactions in protonated phenylalanine derivatives. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 19(1), 729-734.
Simidzija, P., Lecours, M. J., Marta, R. A., Steinmetz, V., McMahon, T. B., Fillion, E., & Hopkins, W. S. (2016). Changes in Tricarbastannatrane Transannular N–Sn Bonding upon Complexation Reveal Lewis Base Donicities. Inorganic chemistry, 55(19), 9579-9585.
Ziegler, B. E., Lecours, M., Marta, R. A., Featherstone, J., Fillion, E., Hopkins, W. S., ... & McMahon, T. B. (2016). Janus face aspect of all-cis 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-hexafluorocyclohexane dictates remarkable anion and cation interactions in the gas phase. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 138(24), 7460-7463.
Ieritano, C., Carr, P. J., Hasan, M., Burt, M., Marta, R. A., Steinmetz, V., ... & Hopkins, W. S. (2016). The structures and properties of proton-and alkali-bound cysteine dimers. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 18(6), 4704-4710.