A Mass Spectrometric Study of Co(Ⅱ) Salts of Carboxylic Acids

Neutral cobalt carboxylates are converted into their basic forms in the ion source during vaporization. The three most abundant peaks in EI spectrum of every salt are Co_4O(OCOR)_5~(+·) , Co_4O(OCOR)_5+ and Co_2O(OCOR)_3~+. The protonated molecular ion in i-C_4H_(10)-CIMS is the base peak. NI spectra of cobalt carboxylates are unique in that they are dominated by the base peak of the molecular ion Co_4O(OCOR)_6~- and ± 14n amu peaks on either side of it. The explanation for the formation of ions through gaining and losing multiples of CH_2 units is not yet clear and further investigation is required.