Do the interstellar molecules CCCO and CCCS rearrange when energised?

Neutrals CCCO, CC(13)CO, CCCS and CC(13)CS have been prepared by one-electron vertical (Franck-Condon) oxidation of the precursor anion radicals (CCCO)(-*), (CC(13)CO)(-*), (CCCS)(-*) and (CC(13)CS)(-*)respectively in collision cells of a reverse sector mass spectrometer. Ionisation of the neutrals to decomposing cations shows the neutrals to be stable for the microsecond duration of the neutralisation-ionisation ((-)NR(+)) experiment. No rearrangement of the label in energised CC(13)CO or CC(13)CS occurs during these experiments. In contrast, minor rearrangement of (CC(13)CO)(+*) is observed [(CC(13)CO)(+*)-->(OCC(13)C)(+*), while significant rearrangement occurs for (CC(13)CS)(+*) [(CC(13)CS)(+*)-->(SCC(13)C)(+*)]. Theoretical calculations at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory show that the cationic rearrangements occur by stepwise processes via key rhombic structures. Overall, the degenerate processes result in O and S migration from C-3 to C-1. The cations (CCCO)(+*) and (CCCS)(+*) require excess energies of > or = 516 and > or = 226 kJ mol(-1) respectively to effect rearrangement.