Quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer with electrospray-ionization source and cryo option

• Subject Area: Molecular Chemistry
• Term: Funded in 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 423159786

Electrospray-ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry has been demonstrated to be one of the most powerful analytical techniques to identify reactive intermediates of chemical transformations, particularly those involving organometallics. Gas-phase experiments on mass-selected ions can moreover probe the microscopic reactivity of these species without the complicating effects of intermolecular exchange processes or solvent coordination. The thus obtainable mechanistic insight is of key importance for the rational and systematic development of improved synthetic and catalytic applications.The requested ESI quadrupole-ion trap mass spectrometer will be used for elucidating iron-catalyzed cross-coupling and cobalt-catalyzed C–H activation reactions. Furthermore, it will be employed for examining prototypical elementary steps of organometallic species, such as oxidative additions, proton-transfer reactions, and reductive eliminations, in great detail. To this end, the requested instrument comprises a cooling device, which will permit lowering of the temperature of the actual ion trap as well as the therein confined helium gas and mass-selected ions down to 100 K. In this way, experiments at variable temperatures will become feasible and afford in-depth information on the energetics of the probed elementary steps. In addition, the cooling option will facilitate the detection of thermo-labile intermediates.The applicant in charge has extensive experience in the use of ESI quadrupole-ion trap mass spectrometers for mechanistic studies of organometallic reactions, most of which have been performed with such an instrument commissioned in 2008. Due to the heavy wear resulting from the frequent infusion of sample solutions of highly reactive organometallics into this instrument as well as due to the development of a new generation of quadrupole-ion trap mass spectrometers, it does no longer allow state-of-the-art experiments and needs to be replaced as soon as possible. The requested instrument will substitute the old and, thus, ensure that the applicant and his collaboration partners can maintain their international competitiveness. Moreover, its cooling option will allow for promising new types of experiments that are not possible with the old equipment.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Quadrupol-Ionenfallen-Massenspektrometer mit ESI-Quelle und Kühloption
• Instrumentation Group: 1700 Massenspektrometer
• Applicant Institution: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• Leader: Professor Dr. Konrad Koszinowski