Laser desorption/ionization of fluorinated fullerenes

Laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight (LDI-TOF) mass spectrometry has been applied to fluorinated fullerene samples of varying fluorine content. The formation of positively and negatively charged ions from highly fluorinated fullerenes is discussed in comparison with earlier desorption experiments. The negative-ion LDI mass spectra of fluorofullerenes with different fluorine content are contrasted with the molecular-ion region of spectra obtained under electron impact conditions. A complementary approach to investigate the formation and fragmentation features of anions involves matrix-assisted LDI-reflectron TOF mass spectrometry and liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry in conjunction with high-energy collisions utilising a four-sector tandem mass spectrometer.