Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of a cerium(III) phosphomolybdate complex: Condensed and gas-phase cluster chemistry

▶ Cerium phosphomolybdate complexes have been transferred from solution to the gas phase by ESI. ▶ Compositions of large gas-phase complexes were established by successive CID. ▶ 31P NMR demonstrates a direct correlation between solution and ESI speciation. ▶ Degradation and aggregation of complexes in dilute solutions is observed. ▶ The trivalent cerium oxidation state is established via substitution of 1H+ by 7Li+ counterions.