Gas phase reactions of VO+ with methyl methacrylates as studied by Fouriertransform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Direct laser ablation of pressed vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) powder in the re action cell of a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spe ctrometer produces VO+ as the only reproducible cation. This ion was reacte d with methyl isobutyrate, methyl methacrylate, and methyl methacrylate dim er. Gas phase ion/molecule chemistry reveals that the complexity of the pro duct distribution increases with the number of electron rich sites on the r eagent molecule. Two sets of ion products are observed: (a) protonated reag ent molecule and its corresponding stable fragment, formed by loss of CH4O, and (b) products containing VO, formed by addition of whole reagent molecu les and associated fragments. Products formed an a result of both consecuti ve and parallel reactions. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) experiments reveal that VO-whole molecule bonds are of a noncovalent nature. (Int J Ma ss Spectrom 194 (2000) 209-224) (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.