Ion chemistry in diethylzinc

Electron impact ionization of diethylzinc has been measured by Fourier transform mass spectrometry. The ionization produces the parent ion ZnC4H10+ and fragment ions including major metal-containing ions ZnC2H5+ and Zn+, as well as organic moiety ions, mainly C2H5+. The total ionization cross-section reaches a maximum of 7.9×10-16 cm2 at ~80 eV. Redistribution of the ion composition by ion-molecule reactions results in the ionic population being dominated by the final product ion ZnC8H17+. Several dimer ions have been observed as the intermediate products in the ion-molecule reactions, but no larger Zn cluster ions have been detected. The argon ion charge-transfer reaction with diethylzinc generates mainly ZnC2H5+ and C2H5+.