Letter: Influence of experimental conditions on electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of ferrocenylalkylazoles

Eur. J. Mass Spectrom. 12, 137–142 (2006)
DOI: 10.1255/ejms.795

Letter: Influence of experimental conditions on electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of ferrocenylalkylazoles

Roman S. Skazov^*, Yury S. Nekrasov, Sergey A. Kuklin and Aleksander A. Simenel
N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 28 Vavilov Str., PO Box 119991, Moscow, Russia. E-mail: skaroman@ineos.ac.ru

ABSTRACT:

Influence of experimental conditions on electrospray/ionization (ESI) mass spectra of ferrocene derivatives FcCHRAz (Fc = η⁵-C₅H₅-Fe-η⁵-C₅H₄; R = H, Az = benzimidazole; R = Ph, Az = 2-methylimidazole) has been investigated. The spectra of all the compounds revealed [M]^+·, product of its fragmentation [FcCHR]⁺ as well as products of ion/molecular interactions (protonated molecule [MH]⁺, binuclear ion [(FcCHR)₂ Az]⁺, dimeric ion [M₂]^+· and its protonated form [M₂H]⁺ ). Relative abundances of these ions appreciably (more than one order) depend on experimental conditions: analyte concentration, temperature of heated capillary, spray voltage, flow rate of mobile phase and polarity of solvents. Established correlations allow the selection of optimum experimental conditions for registration of ESI mass spectra, as required by the application. If an unknown compound is to be identified, it is necessary to operate by using polar solvents, small concentration, low temperature of heated capillary, high spray voltage and flow rates. There are high-intensity binuclear and protonated dimeric ions in mass spectra under other conditions. It can give rise to wrong interpretation of the structure of investigated compound. At the same time, for study of ion-molecular processes by ESI-MS it is necessary to use concentrated samples in non-polar solvents. In this case the dependence of reaction products yields on temperature and flow rate of mobile phase must be investigated.

Keywords: electrospray/ionization, mass spectrometry, ferrocene derivatives

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