Study of Cluster Anions Generated by Laser Ablation of Titanium Oxides: A High Resolution Approach Based on Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry

Laser ablation of titanium oxides at 355 nm and ion–molecule reactions between (TiO₂)_x]^–• cluster anions and H₂O or O₂ were investigated by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR MS) with an external ion source. The detected anions correspond to (TiO₂)_x(H₂O)_yOH]^– and (TiO₂)_x(H₂O)_yO₂]^–• oxy-hydroxide species with x = 1 to 25 and y = 1, 2, or 3 and were formed by a two step process: (1) laser ablation, which leads to the formation of (TiO₂)_x]^–• cluster anions as was previously reported, and (2) ion–molecule reactions during ion storage. Reactions of some (TiO₂)_x]^–• cluster anions with water and dioxygen conducted in the FTICR cell confirm this assessment. Tandem mass spectrometry experiments were also performed in sustained off-resonance irradiation collision-induced dissociation (SORI-CID) mode. Three fragmentation pathways were observed: (1) elimination of water molecules, (2) O₂ loss for radical anions, and (3) fission of the cluster. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to explain the experimental data.