Exact mass analysis of sulfur clusters upon encapsulation by a polyaromatic capsular matrix.

ABSTRACT: Structural determination of inorganic clusters relies heavily on mass spectrometry because of, in most cases, their poor responsivities toward nuclear magnetic resonance, ultraviolet/visible, and infrared analyses. Nevertheless, mass spectrometry analysis of oligosulfurs (S _n ), which are unique clusters with copious allotropic forms, usually displays their fragment peaks. Here we report that a polyaromatic capsule acts as a supramolecular matrix for the mass determination of the neutral sulfur clusters. Upon encapsulation, molecular ion peaks derived from the host-guest complexes including cyclic S₆ and S₈ clusters are exclusively detected by common electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis. Furthermore, mass spectrometry analysis o

SUBMITTER: Matsuno S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5622087 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature