The gas‐phase ligand exchange of copper and nickel acetylacetonate,hexafluoroacetylacetonate and trifluorotrimethylacetylacetonate complexes

The gas‐phase ligand‐exchange reactions between Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes containing the acetylacetonate (acac), hexafluoroacetylacetonate (hfac), and trifluorotrimethylacetylacetonate (tftm) ligands were investigated using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. The gas‐phase mixed‐ligand products of Cu(acac)(tftm)]⁺, Ni(acac)(tftm)]⁺, Cu(hfac)(tftm)]⁺, and Ni(hfac)(tftm)]⁺ were formed following the co‐sublimation of either homo‐metal or hetero‐metal precursors. The gas‐phase formation of Cu(acac)(tftm)]⁺, Cu(hfac)(tftm)]⁺, Ni(acac)(tftm)]⁺, and Ni(hfac)(tftm)]⁺ complexes is reported herein for the first time. The corresponding fragmentation patterns of these species along with those of Cu(tftm)₂ and Ni(tftm)₂ are also presented. Mass‐selected ion‐neutral reactions were investigated. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.