Abstract
We report the results of an experimental study of electron ionization of large helium nanodroplets doped with formic acid (FA). Several homologous series of cluster anions are observed, including [FAn-H]−, undissociated FAn−, and these ions complexed with one or more H2O. Some major features resemble those observed upon sputtering of frozen FA films but they differ significantly from results obtained by electron attachment to bare FA clusters in the gas phase. The FAn− and (H2O)[FAn-H]− series show abrupt onsets above n = 2 and 5, respectively. A prominent resonance in the anion yield occurs at 22.5 eV due to the formation of an intermediate He−*. Also observed are homologous series of [FA-H]− or [FA2-H]− complexed with helium. The cation chemistry is dominated by the production of protonated formic acid clusters, [FAnH]+, but various other homologous cluster ion series are observed as well.
Department
Physics
Publication Date
2-25-2019
Journal Title
Journal of The American Society for Mass Spectrometry
Publisher
Springer
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
M. Mahmoodi-Darian, L. Lundberg, S. Zöttl, P. Scheier, O. Echt, Electron Attachment and Electron Ionization of Formic Acid Clusters Embedded in Helium Nanodroplets, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 30 (2018) 787-795, DOI: 10.1007/s13361-018-02124-z, May 2019.
Comments
This is an article published by Springer in Journal of The American Society for Mass Spectrometry in 2019, available online: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13361-018-02124-z