Mass Spectrometric Investigation of Protonated and Cationized Molecules of Oxaalkyl Phosphates

Abstract

Mass spectrometric fragmentation pathways of protonated molecules of oxaalkyl phosphates and their complexes with alkali metal cations are discussed in this paper. Liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry (LSIMS) was used as the ionisation technique and mass spectra from B/E linked scans were registered to elucidate the mass spectrometric decomposition of the studied ions. Mainly loss of the ether molecules H2C=HCOCH3 and HOH2C–H2COCH3 was observed. The elimination of neutrals containing metal, for example, K-CH2CH2OCH3 or KOCH2CH2OCH3 also occurred. In the case of phosphate (III) an unusual loss of two CH3CH2OCH3 molecules and a Li or Na atom was observed. Electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESIMS) was applied in order to check the ability of the studied tripodands to form complexes with alkali metal cations.