Use of mass spectroscopic techniques to elucidate the nature of the products of the oxidation of trimethylstibine in air

In view of the biological production of trimethylstibine ((CH3)3Sb) in the natural environment, the fate of this species when exposed to ambient oxygen has been studied. The results obtained show that the oxidation process leads to a complex series of products. Trimethylstibine oxide ((CH3)3SbO) and a range of cyclic and linear oligomers have been detected using positive ion electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization techniques and the mass spectroscopic (MS) features are discussed. Dimethyl antimony ((CH3)2Sb) species were not detected under the conditions used. The results from both MS techniques were similar. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.