Structural characterization of mono‐ and bisphosphonium salts by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

AbstractPositive‐ion fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectra are reported for a representative series of mono‐ and bisphosphonium halides derived from triphenylphosphine. The mass spectra of the monoalkyltriphenylphosphonium salts typically contain abundant intact cations that can be used to establish the cationic relative molecular mass and diagnostic fragment ions that allow the characterization of structural subgroups. Depending on the functional group substitution on the alkyl group, additional fragment ions are observed which are formed by loss of small neutral molecules from the intact cation and that can be used for the differentiation of isomeric phosphonium salts. Molecular dication are typically observed in the FAB mass spectra of the bisphosphonium salts when they are analysed in 3‐nitrobenzyl alcohol. In addition, production of singly charged ions by clustering with a counter ion, decomposition involving removal of one of the charge centres and one‐electron reduction are generally observed. Structurally diagnostic fragments are also obtained. The fragmentation pathways of the ions derived from the phosphonium salts were elucidated by precursor ion and product ion tandem mass spectrometric experiments. For the phosphonium salts containing a long‐chain hydrocarbon alkyl group, high‐energy collision‐induced decomposition of the intact cation is needed to obtain unambiguous structural information.