Electrolytic electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of C(60)-TTF-C(60) derivatives: high-resolution mass measurement and molecular ion gas-phase reactivity.

The electrochemical process involved in electrospray ionization is used to obtain odd-electron molecular ions from C(60)-TTF-C(60) and its methano derivatives. Exact mass measurements obtained using high-resolution mass spectrometry are reported, and the gas-phase behavior of the radical cation (retro-Diels-Alder reaction and [M/2 + H](+) ion formation) is described. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.