Characterisation of ruthenium clusters carrying facial arene ligands using ultraviolet laser desorption mass spectrometry: aggregation of gas-phase monocharged anionic clusters from neutral molecular clusters

Abstract

The ultraviolet laser desorption mass spectra of [Ru₄(CO)₉{µ₃-η²:η²:η²-C₆-C₄(η²-CMeCH₂)₂-1,3}] and [Ru₆C(CO)₁₄(µ₃-η²:η²:η²-C₁₆H₁₆)] show abundant singly-charged negative ions; peaks corresponding to successive loss of carbonyl ligands from an otherwise intact parent cluster along with a remarkable series of higher mass species formed in the source region of the mass spectrometer are seen.