Exact Mass Measurements for α-Allenic Alcohol by Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization/Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry

The atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/time of flight mass spectrometry (APCI/TOF MS) was applied to determine the mass of five α allenic alcohols via their protonated molecular ions using positive ion mode. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was used as the internal reference. All results were obtained under the resolution of about 5000 FWHM (full width at the half maximum). Solvent effects were studied and the satisfied results were obtained in acetonitrile. Compared with the theoretical values, all absolute errors were less than 1.0 mmu. The effects of nozzle potential, push pulse potential, pull pulse potential, pull bias potential and acquisition rate on exact mass determination were also discussed. APCI/TOF MS is proven to be a very sensitive analytical technique and an alternative ionization mode in analyzing thermally labile compounds with relatively weak polarity, such as α allenic alcohol.