Metastable C3H52+ produced by electron impact of propane

Metastability of C3H52+ ions formed by electron impact ionization of propane was monitored with the help of a magnetic mass spectrometer of reversed geometry (BEE geometry). In the present paper, we report decay reactions resulting in C3H4++H+, and C3H3++H2+. We observed fragment ions which are formed with high kinetic energy. Mass analyzed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) scan technique in the third field free region of the mass spectrometer was applied to identify the fragment ions and determine their kinetic energy release (KER). An average KER of 1.6±0.3 eV for the first reaction and 0.67±0.15 eV for the second reaction are reported.