Redistribution reactions in the ion source of a mass spectrometer of complexes of titanium (iv), tin (iv) and germanium (iv) with 8-quinolinolato and halo or ethoxy ligands

The relative intensities of peaks in the mass spectra of the compounds MX_4?nox_n (oxH = 8-quinolinol; n = 2; M = Ti; X = F, Cl, Br or OEt; M = Sn; X = F, Cl, Br or I; M = Ge; X = Cl or Br; n = 1; M = Ti; X = OEt) depend on the insertion temperature and the residence time of the sample in the mass spectrometer. In most cases ions which cannot arise by fragmentation of the respective molecular ions are observed. These ions arise from the ionisation and fragmentation of species which are due to redistribution reactions in the mass spectrometer. The fragmentation pattern of the compounds MX₂ox₂ (X = halogen), mainly involving loss of ligand radicals, is related to the common oxidation states of the metals and reflects the metal-halogen bond strength. The molecular ions of the compounds Ti(OEt)_4?nox_n (n = 0, 1 or 2) fragment by loss of intact ligand radicals.