Surface-induced dissociation of lanthanum metallofullerenes on a fluorinated self-assembled monolayer film

Surface-induced dissociation (SID) of purified La@C82 on a fluorinated self-assembled monolayer (F-SAM) film has been studied by a reflectron-type time-of-flight mass spectrometer modified for measuring SID spectra. Lanthanum-containing fragments LaCn+ formed as a result of sequential C2-loss processes have been observed. No lanthanum-stripping fragmentation was observed, up to 160 eV collision energies. The SID of LaC60 on the F-SAM film has also been investigated up to 100 eV collision energies. The SID profiles of LaC60 are similar to those of La@C82, which strongly suggests that La@C60, like La@C82, has an endohedral structure.