Substituent effects in the field ionization mass spectra of acetophenones

Substituent effects in the electron-impact and field ionization mass spectra of acteophenones are compared. No Hammett correlation could be found for the fragments formed on the surface of the field anode. A straight line log z/z0 versus σ⁺ was observed, however, for the metastable decomposition of para-substituted acetophenones (and also some benzophenones). Meta-substituted compounds did not yield such straight lines.     

Doubly charged fragment ions in the field ionization mass spectra of alkylbenzenes

It is shown that the radical [C₆H₅C_mH_2m]²⁺ fragment ions found in the field ionization mass spectra of alkylbenzenes are formed via a different adsorption state of the singly charged species than in the case of the formation of [M]²⁺ molecular ions. It is further demonstrated that the primary fragmentation of molecules by the cleavage of C? C bonds results not only from decompositions of molecular ions in the gas phase but also from surface reactions.     

On the formation of doubly charged ions in field ionization

The observation of doubly charged ions in field ionization with blade or wire emitters does not in itself indicate that high excitation energies (≥ 17 eV) are accessible through gas phase ionization with such emitters.     

Mass spectra of doubly charged ions

The mass spectra of biological molecules, whose molecular mass exceeds 10 kDa, invariably contain multiply charged ions. For example, a survey scan of a small protein will produce singly, doubly and triply protonated molecules, the intensity of the doubly charged species often being greater than that of the singly charged entity. Although the spectra resulting from doubly charged peptides have not previously been studied, collisional activation of such doubly charged species may result in significant additional information pertaining to molecular structure. The techniques employed to study ions originating from multiply charged species were linked scanning of constant B/E and tandem mass spectrometry, namely low collision energy spectra acquired on a BEQQ hybrid instrument. The methodology was applied to model compounds whose tandem mass spectrometry characteristics are well known, e.g. gramicidin S and angiotensin I. The results for the product ions of the [M + 2H]²⁺ species of the models were obtained which highlight the methodology required for high-mass materials.     

Influence of collision gas on doubly charged ion mass spectra

The influence of the collision gas on doubly charged ion mass spectra of a selected number of hydrocarbons has been examined. Relative abundances of various product ions in 2E spectra, resulting from charge exchange collisions of doubly charged hydrocarbon ions, do not vary drastically as the collision gas is varied. However, the absolute intensities of these doubly charged ion mass spectra increase significantly when the collision gas is changed from argon to methane to isobutane. Tbese observations are rationalized in terms of a multichannel diabatic curve crossing model.     

Formation of doubly charged atomic ions in the inductively coupled plasma

Experimental and theoretical studies dealing with the formation efficiency of M²⁺ ions, which reduce the analytical signal of M⁺ ions and cause spectral interferences in the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), have been discussed. Inconsistencies in the results have been pointed out and goals have been formulated for further investigations necessary to correct those spectral interferences. The range of elements that form most readily M²⁺ ions has been determined. Partition functions and reduced thermodynamic potentials of atoms, M⁺ and M²⁺ ions of elements with the lowest second ionization potentials have been calculated. The Saha equation and the thermodynamic simulation were used to calculate the formation efficiency of M⁺ and M²⁺ ions for a selected group of elements in ICP. The results have been compared with experimental and theoretical data available in the literature. The accuracy of the calculations and their applicability to the prediction of the formation efficiency of M⁺ and M²⁺ ions in ICP and other spectral sources has been demonstrated. The main factors responsible for the disagreement between experimental and theoretical values of the formation efficiency of M⁺ and M²⁺ ions have been determined.     

Multiply charged ions in field desorption mass spectra of peptides containing basic amino acids

Multiply charged ions up to [M+4]⁴⁺ were observed in the field desorption mass spectra of five different peptides. The relationship between the charge-multiplicity and the number of basic sidechains is discussed.     

Scanning a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer for doubly charged ions

Charge exchange reactions within a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer characterize doubly charged ions formed in the ion source. Two methods have been developed for identifying the singly charged ions formed from doubly charged ions by charge exchange in the collision quadrupole. The first is based on the characteristically high kinetic energy-to-charge ratios of the products of charge exchange; this property can be used to separate these ions from all other singly charged ions. This retarding potential method is analogous to procedures for recording doubly charged ion mass spectra using sector instruments. The second method is based on the fact that, although mass remains constant in the charge exchange reaction, the change in mass-to-charge ratio can be followed. A charge exchange linked scan, predicated on changes in charge rather than mass, but otherwise analogous to neutral loss/gain scans, is described. Information on the structure of doubly charged ions can be obtained by recording the fragmentation products of dissociative charge exchange. The utility of the charge exchange linked scan for the selective identification of polynuclear aromatic compounds in a complex mixture is described. The methods given can be generalized to cover other charge permutation reactions.     

Multiply charged ions in the mass spectra of aromatics

The prominence of multiply charged molecular and fragment ions upon electron-impact in the mass spectrometer is proposed as an experimental, empirical indication of aromatic character. The effects of electron withdrawing and donating substituents on the production of multiply charged ions are considered and appearance potentials are noted for several species.     

Fragmentation in doubly charged ion mass spectra of anhydropisatin and related compounds

The doubly charged ion mass spectra of anhydropisatin, 4-methoxyanhydropisatin, 3, 8, 9-trimethoxypterocarpen and 3, 4, 8, 9-tetramethoxypterocarpen were determined, and the fragmentation was explained by assuming that the paired electrons were partially localized in the fragmentations and by comparing the spectra with that of 3-(CD₃)-anhydropisatin. Conventional mass spectra of these compounds were very simple, but the doubly charged ion spectra were sufficiently characteristic for the reliable identification.     

The mass spectra of some para substituted triarylphosphines and triarylphosphine oxides

The mass spectra are reported for a series of tris(p-alkylaryl)phosphines and the corresponding phosphine oxides. The phosphines all give [M]^+˙ as the base peak except when the phenyl groups are not para substituted. For the oxides [M–H]⁺ gives the base peak with one exception for which [M]^+˙ is the most abundant ion.     

A study of the decomposition of field ionized doubly charged molecular ions

The dissociation of field ionized doubly charged organic molecular ions into doubly charged fragment ions and neutral fragments is discussed. The kinetic energy released during the dissociation of the singly and doubly charged molecular ions rules out the possibility of a direct correlation between their mechanisms of formation. Further, the pressure as well as the temperature dependence revealed that the singly charged molecular ions are formed by direct ionization of the neutral molecules, while the doubly charged molecular ions are formed through a second ionization process of the adsorbed molecular ions on the field anode surface.     

Formation and decay of doubly charged ions in n-alkanes from methane to triacontane

Coincidence techniques were used to study dissociative double ionization of selected n-alkanes from methane to triacontane (C₃₀H₆₂) and of the hexane isomers. Following photoionization at 40.8 eV, both covalent and coulombic dissociations of the molecular dications take place. The main decay route of doubly charged alkanes larger than butane is fast charge separation followed by secondary dissociation of energetic singly charged primary ions. A simulation based on quasi-equilibrium theory and the spectra of the isomers confirm this breakdown mechanism for hexane.     

A novel rearrangement reaction in doubly charged ion mass spectra of acetophenone derivatives

A novel rearrangement reaction for a methyl group is found in doubly charged ion mass spectra of p-substituted acetophenone derivatives. The driving force for the reaction is discussed.     

Fragmentation selectivity in electron impact ionization mass spectra of substituted dimethoxybenzenes

Several 1-X-sabstitirted-3-methoxy-4-trideuteromethoxybenzens were synthesized and their electron impact ionization mass spectra were measured with an ionizing energy of 20 eV. From the peak intensity ratio of [M ? CD₃ ] and [M ? CH₃] the fragmentation-directing ability of the substituent X was evaluated. The most powerful group was found to be NH₂, which expelled a methoxy methyl group only from its para position. The CH₃ group and four halogen atoms, F, Cl, Br and I, exerted a moderate effect Electron-withdrawing groups such as NO₂, CHO and CN had only a little influence on the fragmentation selectivity. These results were interpreted in terms of the effect of X on the distribution of both the unpaired electron and the positive charge in the molecular ion.     

Evaluation of nitric oxide chemical ionization mass spectra of substituted benzenes

Nitric oxide chemical ionization mass spectra of substituted benzenes obtained with the Townsend discharge technique were studied. There were four kinds of base peaks in the mass spectra, i.e. [M + NO]⁺˙, M⁺˙, [M ? H]⁺ and [M ? OR]⁺ (R = H, CH₃). The formation of the specific ion [M + NO]⁺˙ was highly dependent on the kind of substituent, and it was produced more abundantly in the case of substitutions involving electron-accepting groups. The measure of [M + NO]⁺˙ production was evaluated from the value of the ratio [M + NO]⁺˙/M⁺˙. In mono-substitutions, it was clarified that the ratios of [M + NO]⁺˙/M ⁺˙ were correlated with the Hammett substituent constant s?_p or the electrophilic substituent constant s?_p⁺. Monosubstitutions (C₆H₅R) and toluene substitutions (CH₃C₆H₄R) could be classified into six groups in terms of base peak species, [M + NO]⁺˙/M⁺˙ ratios and substituents. In disubstitutions, the mass spectral patterns were governed by the combination of substituents. Mass spectral distinctions among ortho, meta and para isomers could be made in many cases.     

Charge separation reactions of doubly charged benzene ions

Photoion-photoion coincidence spectra of benzene and benzene-d₆ photoionized by He(II) light and synchrotron radiation show the existence of six major and eight minor charge-separation reactions of the [C₆H₆]²⁺ ion. Three main groups of ion pairs are related to [C₃H₃]⁺ + [C₃H₃]⁺, [C₂H₃]⁺ + [C₄H₃]⁺ and [CH₃]⁺ + [C₅H₃]⁺, with appearance energies of 32.2 ± 0.5 eV, 31.3 ± 0.5 eV and 28.4 ± 0.3 eV. The kinetic energy release is the same for all pairs within a group, irrespective of hydrogen number, but differs from group to group. Results are interpreted in terms of fast, direct charge separation of [C₆H₆]²⁺, and subsequent hydrogen loss by the singly charged fragments.     

Cyclic ions in the mass spectra of trimethylsilyl derivatives of substituted o-dihydroxybenzenes

The mass spectra of trimethylsilyl (TMS) ethers/methyl esters of phenolic acids containing o-dihydroxybenzene groups have base peaks at [M?119]⁺ instead of the usual [M?15]⁺ and [M?31]⁺ that are characteristic of TMS/methyl esters of monohydroxyphenolic acids. These ions, formed by the loss of 31+88 u from the parent ion, possess a cyclic moiety as proven by substitution of deuterium atoms for hydrogen atoms in the TMS groups of the methyl esters of 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic (gallic), 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic (protocatechuic) and β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propenoic (caffeic) acids. Although these cyclic ions are the base peaks in TMS-derivatized o-dihydroxyphenolic acid esters, similar ions represent intense peaks but not necessarily the base peak in other derivatized compounds such as 1,2-dihydroxybenzene, 1,2-dihydroxy-3-methyl- and 1,2-dihydroxy-4-methyl-benzenes and flavan-3-ols that possess o-dihydroxybenzene groups. Compounds possession m- or p-dihydroxybenzene groups do not form these cyclic ions; therefore, this procedure for derivatization and interpretation of mass spectra is valuable for the identification of compounds containing o-dihydroxybenzene groups in complex mixtures of isomeric compounds.     

The fragmentation of doubly charged ions of halogenated benzenes

The unimolecular charge separation fragmentations of doubly charged benzene and 18 derivatives containing various numbers of fluorine, chlorine and bromine atoms have been studied. In the majority of cases two distinct kinds of transition state can be characterized, in one of which the ring system remains intact and in the other of which a linear transition state ion is formed. There is evidence for rearrangement of halogens both around the ring and along the linear chain.