Chemical ionization (CI) is an ionization technique used in mass spectrometry. Chemical ionization is a lower energy process than electron ionization. The lower energy yields less fragmentation, and usually a simpler spectrum. A typical CI spectra has an easily identifiable molecular ion.
In a CI experiment, ions are produced through the collision of the analyte with ions of a reagent gas that are present in the ion source. Some common reagent gases include: methane, ammonia, and isobutane. Inside the ion source, the reagent gas is present in large excess compared to the analyte. Electrons entering the source will preferentially ionize the reagent gas. The resultant collisions with other reagent gas molecules will create an ionization plasma. Positive and negative ions of the analyte are formed by reactions with this plasma.
(charge exchange)
Self chemical ionization occurs when the reagent ion is an ionized form of the analyte.
Chemical ionization for gas phase analysis is either positive or negative. Almost all neutral analytes can form positive ions through the reactions described above.