6533b857fe1ef96bd12b44a3

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Collision-Induced Dissociation of Imidazolium-Based Zwitterionic Liquids

subject

description

Fragmentation pathways of some imidazolium based zwitterionic liquids—3-(3-alkyl-1-imidazolio)-propane sulfonates and 3-(2-methyl-3-alkyl-1-imidazolio)-propane sulfonates—have been studied by tandem electrospray mass spectrometry and collision-induced dissociation. The relative abundances of the lowest energy fragment ions depend on the length of the alkyl chain at the IIN of the imidazolium ring and the cone voltage. The first fragment ions originate from the scission of Cnon aromatic–N bond of compounds investigated, but with increasing collision energy, scission of C–C bonds occurs. Aggregates of the general formula [(M + H) x + (M) y]+ ( x;y = 1–2) formed. Methyl substituted zwitterionic liquids show higher molecular stability than 3-(3-alkyl-1-imidazolio)-propane sulfonates.