Two-laser mass spectrometry of thiolate, disulfide, and sulfide self-assembled monolayers

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiolates, disulfides (RSSR+), and sulfides were studied on Au by N-2 laser desorption followed by vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) (118-nm) photoionization of secondary neutrals in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Dimers (RSSR+) dominated the photoionization mass spectrum from all chain lengths of alkanethiolates and disulfides studied. Nonmethyl-terminated alkanethiolates with X = (OH and COOH) were detected as dimers without loss of the terminal group. Phenyl-SAMs with X = (H, OH, OCH3, Cl, and NO2) were detected as both monomers and dimers. Thiocholesterol SAMs were detected solely as monomers. The data suggest that dimerization occurs as a result of the recombination of surface thiolates during desorption. The alkane sulfides were detected intact, but with additional monomer and dimer species present in the spectra. The appearance of dimers is not a strong function of adsorbate structure or ordering and therefore cannot be taken as evidence for or against the recently proposed model of thiolate dimers on Au surfaces. Two receptor adsorbates, resorcin[4]arene tetrasulfide and beta-cyclodextrin sulfide were examined by two-laser mass spectrometry (L2MS), but only the former gave identifiable high mass peaks. Mixed thiolate and disulfide monolayers generated both pure and mixed dimers, providing information on nearest neighbor interactions. The mixed disulfide results indicate there is a common adsorption state for thiolates and disulfides. The laser desorption and VUV photoionization cross sections for these various organosulfur SAMs were found to be similar. L2MS with VUV photoionization was nonselective in its detection of these organosulfur species and produced mass spectra with little fragmentation.