Protomer-Specific Photochemistry Investigated Using Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

The utility of tandem ion mobility mass spectrometry coupled with electronic spectroscopy to investigate protomer-specific photochemistry is demonstrated by measuring the photoisomerization response for protomers of protonated 4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6-para-dimethylaminostyryl-4H-pyran (DCM) molecules. The target DCMH+ species has three protomers that are distinguished by their different collision cross sections with He, N2, and CO2 buffer gases, trends in abundance with ion source conditions, and from their photoisomerization responses. The trans-DCMH+ protomers with the proton located either on the tertiary amine N atom or on a cyano group N atom exhibit distinct S1← S0 photoisomerizat..