Gas phase studies of metal dimer complexes, M2Ln+, where M = Zn and Mn, and L = pyrrole and furan, for n in the range 1–5

The combination of a pick-up technique and high resolution mass spectrometry have been used to prepare and study the fragmentation patterns of singly charged metal dimer complexes consisting of Zn2 and Mn2 in association with up to five molecules of either pyrrole or furan. The results of the fragmentation experiments are consistent with the picture that the metal dimers remain intact within the complexes, but that Zn2 does not appear to carry a positive charge. Of the two molecules, furan appears to be less strongly bound than pyrrole to either metal dimer.