High Efficiency Photo-Induced Dissociation of Precursor Ions in a Tandem Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) is a powerful analytical technique.
• Photo-induced dissociation (PID) offers a selective method for ion fragmentation.
• Combining TOF-MS with PID can enhance analytical capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate high efficiency photo-induced dissociation (PID) in a tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer.
• To investigate the fragmentation efficiency and ion selection capabilities of the instrument.
• To showcase the application of PID-TOF-MS for analyzing various organic molecules.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer.
• Employed a high-power excimer laser at 193 nm for photo-induced dissociation.
• Focused ion packets and laser pulses for high-density overlap.
• Analyzed bromobenzene molecular ion (m/z = 156) and other organic compounds.

Main Results:

• Achieved high efficiency for fragmentation (79%), collection (132%), and PID (104%) for bromobenzene.
• Demonstrated high-resolution selection of specific precursor ion mass-to-charge ratios.
• Successfully characterized fragmentations of toluene, nitrobenzene, acetophenone, and others.

Conclusions:

• The developed PID-TOF-MS system provides highly efficient ion fragmentation.
• The instrument offers precise control over ion selection for mass analysis.
• PID-TOF-MS is a versatile technique applicable to a range of organic molecules.