Journal article

Publication year: 2013

Pages: 795-804

Journal: Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry

Volume number: 27

Issue number: 7

ISSN: 0951-4198

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.6500

Publisher: Wiley

Abstract: 
RATIONALE Ion/molecule reactions are commonly used to characterize structures due to their high specificity. Herein, we present ambient ion/molecule reactions performed in the course of low-temperature plasma (LTP) ionization of condensed-phase analytes in order to increase the specificity of LTP-based ambient analysis. METHODS The ion population of the cold plasma is modified by addition of a reagent to the plasma before it is directed at a surface bearing the analyte. Desorbed ions were analyzed using linear ion trap-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICRMS). RESULTS Acylium ions generated from tetramethylurea react with 1,3-dioxane analyte to afford distinctive Eberlin product ions. Reactions of alkylamines, such as n-hexylamine and n-octylamine, with benzaldehyde produce the corresponding imines. Reaction of ruthenocene with trifluoroacetic anhydride forms the unusual trifluoroacetate ruthenocene. CONCLUSIONS A LTP source can be used to generate reagent ions that can undergo ion/molecule reactions in the ambient environment with an analyte at condensed phase on a surface. The experiment is a 'reactive' version of the standard low-temperature plasma (LTP) ambient ionization experiment. This approach provides additional information by combining ion/molecule chemistry with conventional MS and MS/MS data to characterize particular analytes.

Harvard Citation style: Benassi, M., Garcia-Reyes, J. and Spengler, B. (2013) Ambient ion/molecule reactions in low-temperature plasmas (LTP): reactive LTP mass spectrometry, Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 27(7), pp. 795-804. https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.6500

APA Citation style: Benassi, M., Garcia-Reyes, J., & Spengler, B. (2013). Ambient ion/molecule reactions in low-temperature plasmas (LTP): reactive LTP mass spectrometry. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry. 27(7), 795-804. https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.6500