Production and isolation of ligated metal(IV)-oxo ions by tandem mass spectrometry

High valent metal(IV)-oxo species, [M(¼O)(MeIm)n(OAc)]R (M¼Mn–Ni, MeIm¼1-methylimidazole, n¼1–2), which are relevant to biology and oxidative catalysis, were produced and isolated in gas-phase reactions of the metal(II) precursor ions [M(MeIm)n(OAc)]R (M¼Mn–Zn, n¼1–3) with ozone. The precursor ions [M(MeIm)(OAc)]R and [M(MeIm)2(OAc)]R were generated via collisioninduced dissociation of the corresponding [M(MeIm)3(OAc)]R ion. The dependence of ozone reactivity on metal and coordination number is discussed.