Competing metastable transitions of the [C7H6F]+ ion

Metastable transitions arising from the loss of C2H2 and HF from the [C7H6F]+ ion have been investigated. Under standard operating conditions, the intensity ratio of the metastable peaks was approximately independent of the precursor of the [C7H6F]+ ion, indicating fragmentation from a common structure such as the symmetrical fluorotropylium ion. The variation of the intensity ratio with several instrumental parameters suggests that I(C2H2 loss)/I(HF loss) rises as the internal energy of the [C7H6F]+ ion falls. Possible interference from discrimination effects at the β‐slit when comparing intensity ratios for first and second field free region are discussed.