GROUP TRANSFER AND DIMERIZATION PROCESSES OF C60(CN)2 UNDER ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE IONIZATION CONDITIONS

Neutral and anionic C60(CN)2 were investigated with electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) mass spectrometry. It was observed that its anions underwent cyano- group and oxygen transfer, and dimerization processes in ESI conditions to form C60(CN)3H−, C60(CN)2(OH2)−, [C60(CN)3H]− 2, [C60(CN)2(OH2)]− 2 and [(C60)2(CN)2(OH)]−. Meanwhile, neutral C60(CN)2, for which no signal was observed in ESIMS, showed a base peak corresponding to C60(CN)2Cl− in APCIMS spectra with CHCl3 used as solvent, while only a molecular ion peak corresponding to C60(CN)− 2 was observed for the toluene solution of neutral C60(CN)2 in the same conditions. Possible mechanisms for group transfer and dimerization were proposed based on these observations.