Study by liquid secondary ion and electrospray mass spectrometry of synthesized and formed-in-source metallocorroles.

Liquid secondary ion and electrospray mass spectrometry were used to study the complexation in-source of 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole with several divalent transition-metal ions. The metallocorrole ions formed in-source were identified by comparing their product ion mass spectra with the spectra of the same ions formed from metallocorroles obtained from classical procedures. Positive metallocorrole ion formation is accompanied by oxidation of the metal centre. Mechanisms were proposed for the oxidation processes, and data from negative-ion spectra reinforced these mechanisms.