Gas-phase synthesis and detection of the benzenediazonium ion,C6H5N2+. A joint atmospheric 2 pressure chemical ionization and guided ion beam experiment

An ion of formula C6H5N2+ (m/z 105) has been produced by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) of benzene and clearly detected in the corresponding positive ion mass spectrum. Its elemental composition has been established by the mass shift at m/z 110 observed when measurements were carried out with hexadeuterated benzene. MS2 experiments performed in the ion-trap analyzer, and guided ion beam (GIB) experiments on the reaction of the phenyl cation with nitrogen molecules, allow us to establish that the detected C6H5N2+ ion is the benzenediazonium ion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the gas-phase total synthesis of the benzenediazonium ion within the APCI source. Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.