Mass spectrometry studies of organometallic compounds: Part 1. Compounds of general formula PhnGeCl4-n

The mass spectra of organogermanium compounds of the type Ph_nGeCl_4-n (where n = 1–4) were investigated. Positive and negative ion spectra of these compounds were recorded using conventional electron impact (EI) conditions. In common with the analogous tetra-alkyltin compound, Ph₄Ge produced no negative ion spectra under these conditions. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS–MS) was used to deduce fragmetation reaction pathways for these compounds. In the case of PhGeCl₃, collision-induced dissociation studies were extended to examine the ion–molecule reactions under relatively high reactant pressures of methanol and/or water vapour in the collision cell of the MS–MS instrument.