title: Studies on gas-phase cyclometalations of [ArNi(PPh3)n]+ (n = 1 or 2) by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: Gas-phase cyclometalation of [ArNi(PPh(3))(n)](+) (n = 1, 2) complexes have been studied by ESI-MS/MS. The electron-donating substituents of aromatic iodides in the para position were found to inhibit the cyclometalation process of losing ArH, while the electron-withdrawing substituents in the para position were found to enhance it. These results indicate that the cyclometalation process of losing ArH is favored by electron-deficient aromatic groups. In addition, the detailed dissociation pathways of the cationic nickel complexes were studied, and among these pathways, the process of aryl-aryl interchange was also found to proceed in ESI-MS/MS.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Mass Spectrometry Center, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wen-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Haoyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guo-Qiang
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ming-Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yinlong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo