Characterization and differentiation of ruthenium(II) complexes with 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane and nitrogen heterocycles by electrospray mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESIMS) was used to characterize a series of new ruthenium(II) complexes with several nitrogen heterocycles and a common ligand: the crown thioether 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane, [9]aneS( 3). ESIMS allows the easy identification of the [(RuCl)-Cl-II([9]aneS(3))Y] X complexes, where Y is a bidentate nitrogen heterocycle and X is Cl- or PF 6-, through the formation of two diagnostic ions by fragmentation of the co mmon ligand [9]aneS3. Structures for these ions and mechanisms for their ga s-phase formation are proposed based on data from product ion spectra. Copy right (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.