Surface-induced dissociation by Fourier transform mass spectrometry

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Mass Spectrometry
• Physical Chemistry

Background:

• Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS) is a powerful analytical technique.
• Dissociation methods are crucial for structural elucidation of ions in FTMS.
• Surface-induced dissociation (SID) offers a pathway for ion fragmentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail a procedure for surface-induced dissociation (SID) of ions within a dual-cell FTMS.
• To demonstrate the applicability of SID to different ionization techniques, including electron ionization and laser desorption.
• To present SID spectra for various compounds, including perfluorotri-n-butylamine, anthracene, and metalloporphyrins.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a detailed surface-induced dissociation (SID) procedure in a dual-cell Fourier transform mass spectrometer.
• Application of SID to ions generated via electron ionization (EI) and laser desorption (LD).
• Acquisition and analysis of SID spectra for selected organic and organometallic compounds.

Main Results:

• The described SID technique is effective for both electron ionization and laser desorption measurements.
• SID spectra were successfully obtained for perfluorotri-n-butylamine, anthracene, and two iron(III) porphyrin complexes.
• Observed conversion efficiencies for molecular ions ranged from 1% to 30%.

Conclusions:

• The developed surface-induced dissociation (SID) method is a viable technique for ion fragmentation in FTMS.
• The method demonstrates significant potential for the dissociation of high-mass ions generated by laser desorption.
• SID in FTMS provides valuable structural information for complex molecules.