Formation and fragmentation of gas-phase ion-molecule complexes of transition-metal ions with organic molecules containing two functional groups

Abstract

A mass spectrometer fast atom bombardment source has been used to synthesize, in the gas phase, the ion-molecule complexes of transition-metal ions (Ni +, Co +, Fe +, and Mn +) with α- or β-unsaturated alkenenitriles, RCHCHCN (RH, CH 3, and C 2H 5) and CH 3CHCHCH 2CN, and 2-methyl glutaronitrile. The metastable ion fragmentations of the complexes are monitored in the first field-free region by B/E linked scans. Surprisingly, an intense HCN loss via an intermediate (C n H 2 n−2 )M +(HCN) is observed for the complexes of the alkenenitriles. The metal ions significantly affect the fragmentation processes. The coexistence of both end-on and side-on coordination modes is suggested to explain the fragmentations.