Electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection of low polar compounds by adding NaAuCl4.

Liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS) has been widely used for various analyses. However, it is difficult to use LC/ESI/MS for the analysis of low polar compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. It is well known that AuCl4- ion decomposes to AuCl3 by heating, and AuCl3 is a strong π-electrophilic Lewis acid. Low polar compounds (pyrene, benzo[a]pyrene, perylene, benzo[ghi]perylene, dibenzothiophene and p-dimethoxybenzene) were detected by ESI/MS in the positive ion mode by adding NaAuCl4 . The low polar compound interacts with AuCl3 formed at the ESI interface, and undergoes electron transfer to AuCl3 . The radical cation of the low polar compound was then detected by MS. In addition, the LC/ESI/MS determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by the post-column addition of NaAuCl4 was studied.