Ion-pair evaporation from ionic liquid clusters

Advances of Ion Mobility Platform for Plant Metabolomics

Metabolomics aims to profile the extensive array of metabolites that exists in different types of matrices using modern analytical techniques. These techniques help to separate, identify, and quantify the plethora of chemical compounds at various analytical platforms. Hence, ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) has emerged as an advanced analytical approach, exclusively owing to the 3D separation of metabolites and their isomers. Furthermore, separated metabolites are identified based on their mass fragmentation pattern and CCS (collision cross-section) values. The IMS provides an advanced alternative dimension to separate the isomeric metabolites with enhanced throughput with lesser chemical noise. Thus, the present review highlights the types, factors affecting the resolution, and applications of IMMS (Ion mobility mass spectrometry) for isomeric separations, and ionic contaminants in the plant samples. Furthermore, an overview of IMS-based applications for the identification of plant metabolites (volatile and non-volatile) over the last few decades has been discussed, followed by future assumptions for creating IM-based databases. Such approaches could be significant to accelerate and improve our knowledge of the vast chemical diversity found in plants.

Ion-neutral clustering alters gas-phase hydrogen-deuterium exchange rates

The rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions that occur at a phase boundary often differ considerably from chemical behavior in bulk solution, but remain difficult to quantify. Ion-neutral interactions are one such class of chemical reactions whose behavior during the nascent stages of solvation differs from bulk solution while occupying critical roles in aerosol formation, atmospheric chemistry, and gas-phase ion separations. Through a gas-phase ion separation technique utilizing a counter-current flow of deuterated vapor, we quantify the degree of hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX) and ion-neutral clustering on a series of model chemical systems (i.e. amino acids). By simultaneously quantifying the degree of vapor association and HDX, the effects of cluster formation on reaction kinetics are realized. These results imply that cluster formation cannot be ignored when modeling complex nucleation processes and biopolymer structural dynamics.

Toward a molecular understanding of the surface composition of atmospherically relevant organic particles

Many mass spectrometry methods using various ionization sources provide bulk composition of airborne particles, but little is known about the surface species that play a major role in determining their physicochemical properties that impact air quality, climate, and health. The present work shows that the composition of surface layers of atmospherically relevant submicron organic particles can be probed without the use of an external ionization source. Solid dicarboxylic acid particles are used as models, with glutaric acid being the most efficient at generating ions. Coating with small diacids or products from α-pinene ozonolysis demonstrates that ions are ejected from the surface, providing surface molecular characterization of organic particles on the fly. This unique approach provides a path forward for elucidating the role of the surface in determining chemical and physical properties of particles, including heterogeneous reactions, particle growth, water uptake, and interactions with biological systems.

Pressure-Dependent Clustering in Ionic-Liquid-Poly (Vinylidene Fluoride) Mixtures: An Infrared Spectroscopic Study

The nanostructures of ionic liquids (ILs) have been the focus of considerable research attention in recent years. Nevertheless, the nanoscale structures of ILs in the presence of polymers have not been described in detail at present. In this study, nanostructures of ILs disturbed by poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) were investigated via high-pressure infrared spectra. For 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([HEMIm][TFSI])-PVdF mixtures, non-monotonic frequency shifts of the C^4,5-H vibrations upon dilution were observed under ambient pressure. The experimental results suggest the presence of microheterogeneity in the [HEMIm][TFSI] systems. Upon compression, PVdF further influenced the local structure of C^4,5–H via pressure-enhanced IL–PVdF interactions; however, the local structures of C²–H and hydrogen-bonded O–H were not affected by PVdF under high pressures. For choline [TFSI]–PVdF mixtures, PVdF may disturb the local structures of hydrogen-bonded O–H. In the absence of the C^4,5–H⋯anion and C²–H⋯anion in choline [TFSI]–PVdF mixtures, the O–H group becomes a favorable moiety for pressure-enhanced IL–PVdF interactions. Our results indicate the potential of high-pressure application for designing pressure-dependent electronic switches based on the possible changes in the microheterogeneity and electrical conductivity in IL-PVdF systems under various pressures.

Nature and strength of intrinsic cation-anion interactions of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate clusters

Imidazolium-based cations and the hexafluorophosphate anion are among the most commonly used ionic liquids (ILs). Yet, the nature and strength of the intrinsic cation-anion interactions, and how they influence the macroscopic properties of these ILs are still not well understood. Threshold collision-induced dissociation is utilized to determine the bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of the 2 : 1 clusters of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations and the hexafluorophosphate anion, [2Cnmim:PF6]+. The cation, [Cnmim]+, is varied across the series, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium [C2mim]+, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium [C4mim]+, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium [C6mim]+, 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium [C8mim]+, to examine the structural and energetic effects of the size of the 1-alkyl substituent of the cation on the binding to [PF6]-. Complementary electronic structure methods are employed for the [Cnmim]+ cations, (Cnmim:PF6) ion pairs, and [2Cnmim:PF6]+ clusters to elucidate details of the cation-anion interactions and their impact on structure and energetics. Multiple levels of theory are benchmarked with the measured BDEs including B3LYP, B3LYP-GD3BJ, and M06-2X each with the 6-311+G(d,p) basis set for geometry optimizations and frequency analyses and the 6-311+G(2d,2p) basis set for energetic determinations. The modest structural variation among the [Cnmim]+ cations produces only minor structural changes and variation in the measured BDEs of the [2Cnmim:PF6]+ clusters. Present results are compared to those previously reported for the analogous 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate IL clusters to compare the effects of these anions on the nature and strength of the intrinsic binding interactions.

Effects of Electrospray Droplet Size on Analyte Aggregation: Evidence for Serine Octamer in Solution

Spraying solutions of serine under a wide variety of conditions results in unusually abundant gaseous octamer clusters that exhibit significant homochiral specificity, but the extent to which these clusters exist in solution or are formed by clustering during droplet evaporation has been debated. Electrospray ionization emitters with tip sizes between 210 nm and 9.2 μm were used to constrain the number of serine molecules that droplets initially contain. Protonated octamer was observed for all tip sizes with 10 mM serine solution, but the abundance decreases from 10% of the serine population at the largest tip size to ∼5.6% for the two smallest tip sizes. At 100 μM, the population abundance of the protonated serine octamer decreases from 1% to 0.6% from the largest to the smallest tip size, respectively. At 100 μM, fewer than 10% of the initial droplets should contain even a single analyte molecule with 210 nm emitter tips. These results indicate that the majority of protonated octamer observed in mass spectra under previous conditions is formed by clustering inside the electrospray droplet, but ≤5.6% and ∼0.6% of serine exists as an octamer complex in 10 mM and 100 μM solutions, respectively. These results show that aggregation occurs in large droplets, but this aggregation can be eliminated using emitters with sufficiently small tips. Use of these emitters with small tips is advantageous for clearly distinguishing between species that exist in solution and species formed by clustering inside droplets as solvent evaporation occurs.

The Knoevenagel condensation catalysed by ionic liquids: a mass spectrometric insight into the reaction mechanism

Mass spectrometry was used to study the Knoevenagel condensation catalysed by imidazolium-based ionic liquids. Two pathways were highlighted by intercepting two different reaction intermediates: a base-catalysed and a carbene-catalysed mechanism.

Gas-Phase Binding Energies and Dissociation Dynamics of 1-Alkyl-3-Methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate Ionic Liquid Clusters

Ionic liquids (ILs) have become increasingly popular due to their useful and unique properties, yet there are still many unanswered questions regarding their fundamental interactions. In particular, details regarding the nature and strength of the intrinsic cation-anion interactions and how they influence the macroscopic properties of ILs are still largely unknown. Elucidating the molecular-level details of these interactions is essential to the development of better models for describing ILs and enabling the purposeful design of ILs with properties tailored for specific applications. Current uses of ILs are widespread and diverse and include applications for energy storage, electrochemistry, designer/green solvents, separations, and space propulsion. To advance the understanding of the energetics, conformations, and dynamics of gas-phase IL clustering relevant to space propulsion, threshold collision-induced dissociation approaches are used to measure the bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of the 2:1 clusters of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations and tetrafluoroborate, [2C_nmim:BF₄]⁺. The cation, [C_nmim]⁺, is varied across the series, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium [C₂mim]⁺, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium [C₄mim]⁺, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium [C₆mim]⁺, and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium [C₈mim]⁺, to examine the structural and energetic effects of the size of the 1-alkyl substituent on binding. Complementary electronic structure calculations are performed to determine the structures and energetics of the [C_nmim]⁺ and [BF₄]^- ions and their binding preferences in the (C_nmim:BF₄) ion pairs and [2C_nmim:BF₄]⁺ clusters. Several levels of theory, B3LYP, B3LYP-GD3BJ, and M06-2X, using the 6-311+G(d,p) basis set for geometry optimizations and frequency analyses and the 6-311+G(2d,2p) basis set for energetics, are benchmarked to examine their abilities to properly describe the nature of the binding interactions and to reproduce the measured BDEs. The modest structural variation among these [C_nmim]⁺ cations produces only minor structural changes and variation in the measured BDEs of the [2C_nmim:BF₄]⁺ clusters. Present findings indicate that the dominant cation-anion interactions involve the 3-methylimidazolium moieties and that these clusters are sufficiently small that differences in packing effects associated with the variable length of the 1-alkyl substituents are not yet significant.

Probing Gas-Phase-Clustering Thermodynamics with Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry: Association Energies of Phenylalanine Ions with Gas-Phase Alcohols

Vapor assisted mobility shift measurements were made with atmospheric pressure drift-tube ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) to determine the thermodynamic properties of weakly bound ion-molecule clusters formed from protonated phenylalanine and neutral vapor molecules with hydroxyl functional groups. Relative binding energies and gas-phase association energies of amino acid ions clustered with small organic molecules have been established previously using high-pressure mass spectrometry. However, the issue of volatility largely prohibits the use of high-pressure mass spectrometry for the determination of gas-phase associations of amino acid ions clustered with neutral vapor molecules in many instances. In contrast, ion mobility measurements can be made at atmospheric pressure with volatile vapor additives near and above their boiling points, providing access to clustering equilibria not possible using high-vacuum techniques. In this study, we report the gas-phase association energies, enthalpies, and entropies for a protonated phenylalanine ion clustered with three neutral vapor molecules: 2-propanol, 1-butanol, and 2-pentanol based upon measurements at temperatures ranging from 120 to 180 °C. The gas-phase enthalpy and entropy changes ranged between -4 to -7 kcal/mol and -3 to 6 cal/(mol K), respectively. We found enthalpically favored ion-neutral cluster reactions for phenylalanine with entropic barriers for the formation of phenylalanine-1-butanol and phenylalanine-2-pentanol cluster ions, while phenylalanine-2-propanol cluster ion formation is both enthalpically and (weakly) entropically favorable. Under the measurement conditions examined, phenylalanine-vapor modifier cluster ion formation is clearly observed via shifts in the drift time for the three test vapor molecules. In comparison, negligible shifts in mobility are observed for protonated arginine exposed to the same vapor modifiers.

Measuring the Kinetics of Neutral Pair Evaporation from Cluster Ions of Ionic Liquid in the Drift Region of a Differential Mobility Analyzer

Singly charged clusters [C⁺A^-]_nC⁺ or [C⁺A^-]_nA^- of two salts [C⁺A^-] are produced by electrospray ionization of alcohol solutions of the ionic liquids 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate (EMI-FAP) and 1,2-dimethyl-3-propylimidazolium-methide (DMPI-Me). The rate of neutral pair evaporation into [C⁺A^-] + [C⁺A^-]_n-1C⁺ or [C⁺A^-]_n-1A^- is studied in atmospheric pressure as a function of temperature T for the positive trimer ion (n = 2) of DMPI-Me and the negative trimer ion of EMI-FAP. The trimer is separated from all other electrosprayed ions in a first differential mobility analyzer (DMA₁) and then transferred through a cooled tube to a second DMA whose drift gas is kept at a controlled temperature (25 °C < T < 100 °C). Singular characteristics of the DMA are a residence time τ of ∼0.1 to 1 ms, with essentially uniform temperature and τ. The decomposition occurring within DMA₂ results in a complex mobility spectrum associated with dimer product ions, with apparent mobilities intermediate between those of the dimer and the trimer, depending on the product of the reaction rate k and τ. A theoretical expression yielding k from the shape of the collected mobility spectrum is obtained by accounting for the deterministic reactive, convective, and diffusive evolutions of the parent and product ions within DMA₂. Observed and predicted mobility spectra agree well, yielding the reaction rate k with little ambiguity. Activation energies near 1 eV are determined for both trimer ions. Paradoxically, the evaporation process substantially heats up the cluster ion product. The theory developed enables measuring decay times much smaller and much larger than the residence time in the DMA.

Electrospray ionization enters the final frontier: Mass spectrometry's role in understanding electrospray thrusters and their plumes

Electrospray thrusters using ionic liquid (IL)-based propellants are quickly gaining popularity in spacecraft design. Mass spectrometry is especially well-suited to provide important knowledge on the fundamentals of how these systems work and on evaluating their efficiencies and impacts, given that the operating principles of electrospray thrusters closely mimics the mass spectrometry experiment - in both ions are generated by electrospray and then enter a vacuum. Here, electrospray thruster technology and IL-based propellants are briefly introduced. This introduction is then followed by a discussion of mass spectrometry's current contribution to the study of IL-based electrospray thrusters - with a focus on electrospray, dissociation, and spectroscopy studies - and a brief discussion of areas ripe for immediate contributions from the mass spectrometry community.

Electrospray Ionization-Based Synthesis and Validation of Amine-Sulfuric Acid Clusters of Relevance to Atmospheric New Particle Formation

Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) is the process by which atmospheric trace gases such as sulfuric acid, ammonia, and amines cluster and grow into climatically relevant particles. The mechanism by which these particles form and grow has remained unclear, in large part due to difficulties in obtaining molecular-level information about the clusters as they grow. Mass spectrometry-based methods using electrospray ionization (ESI) as a cluster source have shed light on this process, but the produced cluster distributions have not been rigorously validated against experiments performed in atmospheric conditions. Ionic clusters are produced by ESI of solutions containing the amine and bisulfate or by spraying a sulfuric acid solution and introducing trace amounts of amine gas into the ESI environment. The amine content of clusters can be altered by increasing the amount of amine introduced into the ESI environment, and certain cluster compositions can only be made by the vapor exchange method. Both approaches are found to yield clusters with the same structures. Aminium bisulfate cluster distributions produced in a controlled and isolated ESI environment can be optimized to closely resemble those observed by chemical ionization in the CLOUD chamber at CERN. These studies indicate that clusters generated by ESI are also observed in traditional atmospheric measurements, which puts ESI mass spectrometry-based studies on firmer footing and broadens the scope of traditional mass spectrometry experiments that may be applied to NPF.

Activation of sub 2 nm Water Soluble and Insoluble Standard Ions with Saturated Vapors of Butanol in a Boosted TSI Ultrafine CPC

Tetraheptylammonium bromide (THABr), tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBABr) and tetraethylammonium bromide (TEABr) dissolved in methanol or water methanol mixtures (~ 1mM) produce via positive electrospray atomization and high resolution classification electrical classification standard clean ions (monomer and dimer) which are singly charged. THABr is hydrophobic and insoluble in water, TBABr and TEABr are hygroscopic and water soluble (0.6 and 2.8 kg/l respectively). These ions are used to study the effect of hygroscopicity on the activation of aerosol particles in the sub 2 nm range via the detection efficiency measurement of a boosted ultrafine TSI condensation particle counter (3025A). Water solubility of particles seems to play a role in the activation and growth with butanol vapor in the CPC (condensation particle counter) independently of the size.

Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry of Iodine Pentoxide-Iodic Acid Hybrid Cluster Anions in Dry and Humidified Atmospheres

Nanometer-scale clusters form from vapor-phase precursors and can subsequently grow into nanoparticles during atmospheric nucleation events. A particularly interesting set of clusters relevant to nucleation is hybrid iodine pentoxide-iodic acid clusters of the form (I₂O₅) _x(HIO₃) _y as these clusters have been observed in coastal region nucleation events in anomalously high concentrations. To better understand their properties, we utilized ion mobility-mass spectrometry to probe the structures of cluster anions of the form (I₂O₅) _x(HIO₃) _y(IO_α)^- ( x = 0-7, y = 0-1, α = 1-3), similar to those observed in coastal nucleation events. We show that (I₂O₅) _x(HIO₃) _y(IO_α)^- clusters are relatively stable against dissociation during mass spectrometric measurement, as compared to other clusters observed in nucleation events over continental sites, and that at atmospherically relevant relative humidity levels (65% and less) clusters can become sufficiently hydrated to facilitate complete conversion of iodine pentoxide to iodic acid but that water sorption beyond this level is limited, indicating that the clusters do not persist as nanometer-scale droplets in the ambient.

Production of Gas-Phase Uranium Fluoroanions Via Solubilization of Uranium Oxides in the [1-Ethyl-3-Methylimidazolium]+[F(HF)2.3]- Ionic Liquid

A new methodology for gas-phase uranium ion formation is described in which UO₂ is dissolved in neat N-ethyl,N'-methylimidazolium fluorohydrogenate ionic liquid [EMIm⁺][F(HF)_2.3^-], yielding a blue-green solution. The solution was diluted with acetonitrile and then analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. UF₆^- (a U(V) species) was observed at m/z = 352, and other than cluster ions derived from the ionic liquid, nothing else was observed. When the sample was analyzed using infusion desorption chemical ionization, UF₆^- was the base peak, and it was accompanied by a less intense UF₅^- that most likely was formed by elimination of a fluorine radical from UF₆^-. Formation of UF₆^- required dissolution of UO₂ followed by or concurrent with oxidation of uranium from the + 4 to the + 5 state and finally formation of the fluorouranate. Dissolution of UO₃ produced a bright yellow solution indicative of a U(VI) species; however, electrospray ionization did not produce abundant U-containing ions. The abundant UF₆^- provides a vehicle for accurate measurement of uranium isotopic abundances free from interference from minor isotopes of other elements and a convenient ion synthesis route that is needed gas-phase structure and reactivity studies like infrared multiphoton dissociation and ion-molecule dissociation and condensation reactions. The reactive fluorohydrogenate ionic liquid may also enable conversion of uranium in oxidic matrices into uranium fluorides that slowly oxidize to uranyl fluoride under ambient conditions, liberating the metal for facile measurement of isotope ratios without extensive chemical separations. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Multimodal porous carbon derived from ionic liquids: correlation between pore sizes and ionic clusters

In this proof of concept study on the synthesis of ionic liquid (IL)-derived multimodal porous carbon using ionic clusters of different sizes as porogens, the carbonization behaviors of binary IL mixtures of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (EMIM-dca) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIM-Tf₂N) were systematically investigated to demonstrate the formation of multimodal porous carbons with hierarchical structures originating from the ionic cluster porogens. The multimodal porous structures of the resulting IL-derived porous carbons were characterized based on the quenched solid density functional theory, and the role of the ionic clusters as porogens is discussed. From the viewpoint of green and sustainable chemistry, the IL-based synthesis using ionic clusters as porogens is a simple, effective, and sustainable technique for synthesizing multimodal porous carbons with hierarchical structures. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating that a multimodal porous structure of IL-derived porous carbons could be systematically manipulated with the aid of ionic clusters of different sizes as porogens.

Mobility Peak Tailing Reduction in a Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA) Coupled with a Mass Spectrometer and Several Ionization Sources

The differential mobility analyzer (DMA) is a narrow-band linear ion mobility filter operating at atmospheric pressure. It combines in series with a quadrupole mass spectrometer (Q-MS) for mobility/mass analysis, greatly reducing chemical noise in selected ion monitoring. However, the large flow rate of drift gas (~1000 L/min) required by DMAs complicates the achievement of high gas purity. Additionally, the symmetry of the drying counterflow gas at the interface of many commercial MS instruments, is degraded by the lateral motion of the drift gas at the DMA entrance slit. As a result, DMA mobility peaks often exhibit tails due to the attachment of impurity vapors, either (1) to the reagent ion within the separation cell, or (2) to the analyte of interest in the ionization region. In order to greatly increase the noise-suppression capacity of the DMA, we describe various vapor-removal schemes and measure the resulting increase in the tailing ratio, (TR = signal at the peak maximum over signal two half-widths away from this maximum). Here we develop a low-outgassing DMA circuit connected to a mass spectrometer, and test it with three ionization sources (APCI, Desolvating-nano ESI, and Desolvating low flow SESI). While prior TR values were in the range 100-1000, the three new sources achieve TR ~ 10⁵. The SESI source has been optimized for maximum sensitivity, delivering an unprecedented gain for TNT of 190 counts/fg, equivalent to an ionization efficiency of one out of 140 neutral molecules. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Collision-Induced Dissociation of Electrosprayed NaCl Clusters: Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations to Visualize Reaction Cascades in the Gas Phase

Infusion of NaCl solutions into an electrospray ionization (ESI) source produces [Na_(n+1)Cl _n ]⁺ and other gaseous clusters. The n = 4, 13, 22 magic number species have cuboid ground state structures and exhibit elevated abundance in ESI mass spectra. Relatively few details are known regarding the mechanisms whereby these clusters undergo collision-induced dissociation (CID). The current study examines to what extent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can be used to garner insights into the sequence of events taking place during CID. Experiments on singly charged clusters reveal that the loss of small neutrals is the dominant fragmentation pathway. MD simulations indicate that the clusters undergo extensive structural fluctuations prior to decomposition. Consistent with the experimentally observed behavior, most of the simulated dissociation events culminate in ejection of small neutrals ([NaCl] _i , with i = 1, 2, 3). The MD data reveal that the prevalence of these dissociation channels is linked to the presence of short-lived intermediates where a relatively compact core structure carries a small [NaCl] _i protrusion. The latter can separate from the parent cluster via cleavage of a single Na-Cl contact. Fragmentation events of this type are kinetically favored over other dissociation channels that would require the quasi-simultaneous rupture of multiple electrostatic contacts. The CID behavior of NaCl cluster ions bears interesting analogies to that of collisionally activated protein complexes. Overall, it appears that MD simulations represent a valuable tool for deciphering the dissociation of noncovalently bound systems in the gas phase. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Gas molecule scattering & ion mobility measurements for organic macro-ions in He versus N2 environments

A pending issue in linking ion mobility measurements to ion structures is that the collisional cross section (CCS, the measured structural parameter in ion mobility spectrometry) of an ion is strongly dependent upon the manner in which gas molecules effectively impinge on and are reemitted from ion surfaces (when modeling ions as fixed structures). To directly examine the gas molecule impingement and reemission processes and their influence, we measured the CCSs of positively charged ions of room temperature ionic liquids 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (EMIM-N(CN)2) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIM-BF4) in N2 using a differential mobility analyzer-mass spectrometer (DMA-MS) and in He using a drift tube mobility spectrometer-mass spectrometer (DT-MS). Cluster ions, generated via electrosprays, took the form (AB)N(A)z, spanning up to z = 20 and with masses greater than 100 kDa. As confirmed by molecular dynamics simulations, at the measurement temperature (∼300 K), such cluster ions took on globular conformations in the gas phase. Based upon their attained charge levels, in neither He nor N2 did the ion-induced dipole potential significantly influence gas molecule-ion collisions. Therefore, differences in the CCSs measured for ions in the two different gases could be primarily attributed to differences in gas molecule behavior upon collision with ions. Overwhelmingly, by comparison of predicted CCSs with selected input impingement-reemission laws to measurements, we find that in N2, gas molecules collide with ions diffusely--they are reemitted at random angles relative to the gas molecule incoming angle--and inelastically. Meanwhile, in He, gas molecules collide specularly and elastically and are emitted from ion surfaces at determined angles. The results can be rationalized on the basis of the momentum transferred per collision; in the case of He, individual gas molecule collisions minimally perturb the atoms within a cluster ion (internal motion), while in the case of N2, individual gas molecules have sufficiently large momentum to alter the internal motion in organic ions.

CJ. Ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry examination of the structures, stabilities, and extents of hydration of dimethylamine–sulfuric acid clusters

Uptake of water molecules by dimethylamine–sulfuric acid cluster ions mitigates dissociation in atmospheric pressure ion source mass spectrometer inlets.

Iron Fluoroanions and Their Clusters by Electrospray Ionization of a Fluorinating Ionic Liquid

Metal fluoroanions are of significant interest for fundamental structure and reactivity studies and for making isotope ratio measurements that are free from isobaric overlap. Iron fluoroanions [FeF(4)](-) and [FeF(3)](-) were generated by electrospray ionization of solutions of Fe(III) and Fe(II) with the fluorinating ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium fluorohydrogenate [EMIm](+)[F(HF)(2.3)](-). Solutions containing Fe(III) salts produce predominately uncomplexed [FeF(4)](-) in the negative ion spectrum, as do solutions containing salts of Fe(II). This behavior contrasts with that of solutions of FeCl(3) and FeCl(2) (without [EMIm](+)[F(HF)(2.3)](-)) that preserve the solution-phase oxidation state by producing the gas-phase halide complexes [FeCl(4)](-) and [FeCl(3)](-), respectively. Thus, the electrospray-[EMIm](+)[F(HF)(2.3)](-) process is oxidative with respect to Fe(II). The positive ion spectra of Fe with [EMIm](+)[F(HF)(2.3)](-) displays cluster ions having the general formula [EMIm](+) (n+1)[FeF(4)](-) n, and DFT calculations predict stable complexes, both of which substantiate the conclusion that [FeF(4)](-) is present in solution stabilized by the imidazolium cation. The negative ion ESI mass spectrum of the Fe-ionic liquid solution has a very low background in the region of the [FeF(4)](-) complex, and isotope ratios measured for both [FeF(4)](-) and adventitious [SiF(5)](-) produced values in close agreement with theoretical values; this suggests that very wide isotope ratio measurements should be attainable with good accuracy and precision when the ion formation scheme is implemented on a dedicated isotope ratio mass spectrometer.

Measuring the effect of ion-induced drift-gas polarization on the electrical mobilities of multiply-charged ionic liquid nanodrops in air

The electrical mobilities of multiply-charged nanodrops of the ionic liquid 1-ethyl, 3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (EMI-N[CN]2) were accurately measured in air at 20 °C for mass-selected clusters of composition [EMI-N[CN]2] n [EMI(+)] z , with 2 ≤ n ≤ 369 and 1 ≤ z ≤ 10. We confirm prior reports that the mobility Z of a globular ion of mass m is given approximately by the modified Stokes-Millikan law for spheres, Z  =  Z SM,mod (d m   +  d g , z, m), where d m   =  (6m/πρ)(1/3) is the nanodrop mass-diameter based on the density ρ of the liquid (corrected for the capillary compression and electrostatic deformation of the nanodrop), and d g is an effective air molecule diameter. There is however a measurable (up to 7%) and systematic z-dependent departure of Z from Z SM,mod . As theoretically expected at small ε (*) , this effect is accurately described by a simple correction factor of the form Z/Z SM,mod   =  δ(1  -  βε (*)), where kTε (*) is the potential energy due to the ion-induced dipole (polarization) attraction between a perfectly-conducting charged nanodrop and a polarized neutral gas-molecule at a distance (d m   +  d g )/2 from its center. An excellent fit of this model to hundreds of data points is found for d g ≈ 0.26 nm, β ≈ 0.36, and δ ≈ 0.954. Accounting for the effect of polarization decreases d g considerably with respect to values inferred from earlier nanodrop measurements that ignored this effect. In addition, and in spite of ambiguities in the mobility calibration scale, the measured constant δ smaller than unity increases Millikan's drag enhancement factor from the accepted value ξ m ≈ 1.36 to the new value ξ ≈ ξ m /δ ≈ 1.42  ± 0.03.

The collision cross sections of iodide salt cluster ions in air via differential mobility analysis-mass spectrometry

To date, most collision cross section (CCS) predictions have invoked gas molecule impingement-reemission rules in which specular and elastic scattering of spherical gas molecules from rigid polyatomic surfaces are assumed. Although such predictions have been shown to agree well with CCSs measured in helium bath gas, a number of studies reveal that these predictions do not agree with CCSs for ions in diatomic gases, namely, air and molecular nitrogen. To further examine the validity of specular-elastic versus diffuse-inelastic scattering models, we measured the CCSs of positively charged metal iodide cluster ions of the form [MI]n[M(+)]z, where M = Na, K, Rb, or Cs, n = 1 - 25, and z = 1 - 2. Measurements were made in air via differential mobility analysis mass spectrometry (DMA-MS). The CCSs measured are compared with specular-elastic as well as diffuse-inelastic scattering model predictions with candidate ion structures determined from density functional theory. It is found that predictions from diffuse-inelastic collision models agree well (within 5%) with measurements from sodium iodide cluster ions, while specular-elastic collision model predictions are in better agreement with cesium iodide cluster ion measurements. The agreement with diffuse-inelastic and specular-elastic predictions decreases and increases, respectively, with increasing cation mass. However, even when diffuse-inelastic cluster ion predictions disagree with measurements, the disagreement is of a near-constant factor for all ions, indicating that a simple linear rescaling collapses predictions to measurements. Conversely, rescaling cannot be used to collapse specular-elastic predictions to measurements; hence, although the precise impingement reemission rules remain ambiguous, they are not specular-elastic.

Continuous flow ion mobility separation with mass spectrometric detection using a nano-radial differential mobility analyzer at low flow rates

We describe a hybrid mass-mobility instrument in which a continuous-flow ion mobility classifier is used as a front-end separation device for mass spectrometric analysis of ions generated with an electrospray ionization source. Using nitrogen as a carrier gas, the resolving power of the nano-radial differential mobility analyzer (nRDMA) for nanometer-sized ions is 5-7 for tetraalkylammonium ions. Data are presented demonstrating the ability of the system to resolve the different aggregation and charge states of tetraalkylammonium ions and protonated peptides using a quadrupole ion trap (QIT) mass spectrometer to analyze the mobility-classified ions. Specifically, data are presented for the two charge states of the decapeptide Gramicidin S. A key feature of the new instrument is the ability to continuously transmit ions with specific mobilities to the mass spectrometer for manipulation and analysis.

Vapors from Ionic Liquids: Reconciling Simulations with Mass Spectrometric Data

The species involved in the distillation of aprotic ionic liquids are discussed in light of recent simulations and mass spectrometric data obtained by various techniques. New mass spectrometric data collected via laser-induced acoustic desorption and the thermal desorption of ionic liquids are also presented as well as additional DFT calculations. The available evidence of theoretical simulations and mass spectrometric data suggests that the distillation of ionic liquids occurs mainly via neutral ion pairs of composition CnAn [C(+) = cation and A(-) = anion], followed by gas-phase dissociation to lower order ion pairs and then dissociation of hot CA to C(+) and A(-), followed by ion/molecule association events to give [CnAn-1](+) or [Cn-1An](-) ions to a degree that depends on the amount of internal energy deposited into the neutral CnAn clusters upon evaporation.

Low-sample flow secondary electrospray ionization: improving vapor ionization efficiency

In secondary electrospray ionization (SESI) systems, gaseous analytes exposed to an elecrospray plume become ionized after charge is transferred from the charging electrosprayed particles to the sample species. Current SESI systems have shown a certain potential. However, their ionization efficiency is limited by space charge repulsion and by the high sample flows required to prevent vapor dilution. As a result, they have a poor conversion ratio of vapor into ions. We have developed and tested a new SESI configuration, termed low-flow SESI, that permits the reduction of the required sample flows. Although the ion to vapor concentration ratio is limited, the ionic flow to sample vapor flow ratio theoretically is not. The new ionizer is coupled to a planar differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and requires only 0.2 lpm of vapor sample flow to produce 3.5 lpm of ionic flow. The achieved ionization efficiency is 1/700 (one ion for every 700 molecules) for TNT and, thus, compared with previous SESI ionizers coupled with atmospheric pressure ionization-mass spectrometry (API-MS) (Mesonero, E.; Sillero, J. A.; Hernández, M.; Fernandez de la Mora, J. Philadelphia PA, 2009) has been improved by a large factor of at least 50-100 (our measurements indicate 70). The new ionizer coupled with the planar DMA and a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (ABSciex API5000) requires only 20 fg (50 million molecules) to produce a discernible signal after mobility and MS(2) analysis.

Transversal Modulation Ion Mobility Spectrometry (TM-IMS), a new mobility filter overcoming turbulence related limitations

The analysis of ions according to their mobility is a technique that is attracting increasing interest. The new technology presented here, which we have termed Transversal Modulation Ion Mobility Spectrometry (TM-IMS), utilizes only electric fields, operates at atmospheric pressure, produces a continuous output of mobility selected ions (according to their true mobility and not to nonlinear effects), and has a very accessible inlet and outlet. These features would make it an ideal choice for tandem IMS-MS analysis in combination with most commercial Atmospheric Pressure Interface MS (API-MS) systems. We modeled and evaluated two different TM-IMS configurations (TM-IMS, and multistage TM-IMS), and we concluded that the most promising configuration would be a two-stage TM-IMS. We developed and tested a TM-IMS, and the measured resolving power is R = 55. The TM-IMS behaves similarly to the planar Differential Mobility Analyzer, but the TM-IMS utilizes only electric fields, and no fragile flow with high Reynolds numbers is required. We tested the robustness of the TM-IMS, which proves to be a very robust and reliable analyzer: the required voltage accuracy is 5 V in 10 kV, and the mechanical precision is 1 mm in 5 cm.

The enthalpies of vaporisation of ionic liquids: new measurements and predictions

The enthalpies of vaporisation, Δ(vap)H(298), of seven ionic liquids (ILs) (four imidazoliums, a pyridinium, a phosphonium and an isouronium) have been determined by temperature programmed desorption using line of sight mass spectrometry. They were: 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(pentafluoroethyl)phosphinate, [C(2)C(1)Im][PO(2)(C(2)F(5))(2)]; 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium octylsulfate, [C(4)C(1)Im][C(8)OSO(3)]; 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [C(4)C(1)Im][BF(4)]; 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate, [C(6)C(1)Im][FAP]; 1-butylpyridinium methylsulfate, [C(4)Py][C(1)OSO(3)]; trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium tetrafluoroborate, [P(6,6,6,14)][BF(4)] and O-ethyl-N,N,N',N'-tetramethylisouronium trifluoromethanesulfonate, [C(2)(C(1))(4)iU][TfO]. The values were found to be consistent with a previously proposed, predictive, model in which Δ(vap)H(298) is decomposed into a Coulombic component (computable from the IL density) and van der Waals components from the anion and cation. Two previously predicted values of Δ(vap)H(298) were found to be within 6 kJ mol(-1) of the measured experimental values. Values for the van der Waals components are tabulated for eleven cations and twelve anions. Predictions are made for Δ(vap)H(298) for 13 ILs with as yet unmeasured Δ(vap)H(298) values (using experimental molar volumes), and for a further 44 ILs using estimated molar volumes.