Mass spectrometry of labile onium ions and carbocation salts. Study by desorption‐ionization mass spectrometry: Fast atom bombardment, field desorption and 252Cf plasma desorption time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

Abstract

AbstractIn contrast to the accepted notion that mass spectrometry is impractical as an analytical tool in condensed‐phase preparative carbocation chemistry, it has been shown that desorption ionization techniques (fast atom bombard‐ment, field desorption and252Cf plasma desorption time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry) provide rapid and reliable methods for relative molecular mass determination for a wide variety of highly unstable, fragile carbocation salts and onium ions. In addition, interesting fragment ions and cluster ions (two cations and one anion) are observed. Application of these methods to study several dication ether salts has also been demonstrated.