Transition metals are important in various industrial
applications
including catalysis. Due to the current concentration of CO
2
in the atmosphere, various ways for its capture and utilization
are investigated. Here, we study the activation of CO
2
and
H
2
O at [NbO
3
]
−
in the gas
phase using a combination of infrared multiple photon dissociation
spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. In the experiments,
Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry is combined
with tunable IR laser light provided by the intracavity free-electron
laser FELICE or optical parametric oscillator-based table-top laser
systems. We present spectra of [NbO
3
]
−
, [NbO
2
(OH)
2
]
−
, [NbO
2
(OH)
2
]
−
(H
2
O) and [NbO(OH)
2
(CO
3
)]
−
in the 240–4000
cm
–1
range. The measured spectra and observed dissociation
channels together with quantum chemical calculations confirm that
upon interaction with a water molecule, [NbO
3
]
−
is transformed to [NbO
2
(OH)
2
]
−
via a barrierless reaction. Reaction of this product with CO
2
leads to [NbO(OH)
2
(CO
3
)]
−
with the formation of a [CO
3
] moiety.