Hydrogenation of quinone compounds during secondary ion mass spectra measurement.

Abstract

Antibiotics containing a quinone group show characteristic reduced pseudo-molecular ions (M + 2)+ and (M + 3)+ during the measurements of secondary ion mass spectra using glycerol as a matrix. The ratios of peak intensities (M + 2)+ and (M + 3)+ over (M + 1)+ increase with time. As this phenomenon is not found using sulfolane as a matrix, the quinone group seems to be hydrogenated to a hydroquinone by active hydrogen which is produced from a free hydroxyl group of the glycerol by bombardment with the Xe+ beam. This hydrogenation reaction is specific for the quinone group.