THE BEHAVIOR OF [PT(ETA(3)-ALLYL)XP(C6H5)(3)] COMPLEXES IN ELECTROSPRAY-IONIZATION CONDITIONS COMPARED WITH THOSE ACHIEVED BY OTHER IONIZATION METHODS

Three Pt(II) eta(3)-allylic compounds, [Pt(eta(3)-allyl)XP(C6H5)(3)] ( X = Cl, Br, I) have been studied under electrospray ionization (ESI) c onditions, Unexpected behaviour, such as the complete lack of either [ M](+.) or [MH](+) ions, the formation of complexes with the solvent an d bis-triphenylphosphino-containing species, was observed, To rational ize such results, a series of parallel measurements on the same compou nds have been performed under electron impact, fast-atom bombardment a nd field ionization conditions, The data so obtained suggest that mole cular species are not produced by ESI, probably due to the action of s trong electric fields and collisionally induced decompositions occurri ng in different regions of the instrument, Complexes,vith the solvent originate through gas-phase ion-molecule reactions, while the bis-trip henylphosphino-containing species are formed by reaction of ions with triphenylphosphine formed by thermal decomposition inside the heated c apillary line, just after the electrospray ionization source. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.