Self-assembly and intra-cluster reactions of erbium and ytterbium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinates in the gas phase

METHODS: The structural features, stability and fragmentation patterns of charged aggregates formed by lanthanide-functionalized surfactants, ytterbium and erbium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate ((AOT)(3)Yb and (AOT)(3)Er), have been investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) and energy-resolved mass spectrometry (ER-MS).