This picture shows the potential energy curves for the TiF³⁺ system, which is typical of potential energy surfaces of multiply charged cations in the gas phase.

To the left, the molecular TiF³⁺ minimum can be seen. The bonding and structure of this trication are very similar to those for the corresponding neutral species.

The trication dissociates diabatically to form Ti³⁺ and F, as shown in the top right-hand corner of the picture. However, this dissociation asymptote is in fact much less stable than the alternative Ti²⁺ + F⁺ arrangement, shown on the bottom right-hand side. This asymptote is also considerably more stable than the molecular minimum !! This means that TiF³⁺ can undergo Coulomb Explosion, to give Ti²⁺ and F⁺. However, because the two curves only cross for relatively large values of the internuclear distance, TiF³⁺ is a metastable species, stable for at least tens of microseconds.