LASER-DESORPTION FOURIER-TRANSFORM MASS-SPECTROMETRY EXCHANGE STUDIESOF AIR-OXIDIZED ALKANETHIOL SELF-ASSEMBLED MONOLAYERS ON GOLD

Exchange of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of dodecanethiol (C12H25S H) on gold with decanethiol (C10H21SH) was detected with laser-desorpt ion Fourier transform mass spectrometry (LD-FTMS) in the negative ion mode. The amount of adsorption of C10H21SH is dependent on the extent of air oxidation of the C12H25SH SAM. In this study, a partially air o xidized C12H25SH SAM with a 2.2:1.5:1 ratio of dodecanethiolate (C(12) H(2)5S(-), m/z 201) to the presumed dodecanesulfinate (C12H25SO2-, m/z 233) to dodecanesulfonate (C12H25SO3-, m/z 249) on the surface is exa mined. After the sample is soaked in an ethanol solution of C10H21SH f or 30 min, the LD-FTMS spectrum shows that both the C12H25SO2- and the C21H25SO3- are gone, but a decanethiolate peak appears (C10H21S-, m/z 173) in the same ratio to C12H25S- (1.19) as the ratio of the combine d oxidation products (1.16) prior to soaking. Subsequent air exposure (9 h) of this SAM composed of mixed thiolates gives a similar ratio (1 .06) of the fully oxidized sulfonates of both species, which can be co mpletely removed upon subsequent soaking in a solution of C12H25SH SAM s are soaked in decanethiol solution for 30 min. From these observatio ns, we draw several conclusions. First, the results refute suspicions that sulfonates form in a laser-induced reaction of thiolates with O-2 absorbed in the SAM during air exposure. Second, ionization efficienc y of thiolates and sulfonates during LD-FTMS analysis is approximately equal. Third, previous literature reports of exchange experiments sho uld be carefully scrutinized for possible evidence of the effects of a ir oxidation.