The electrospray ionisation mass spectra (EDESI-MS) of Ru₆C(CO)₁₆(PPh₃) and Ir₄(CO)₁₁(PR₃) (PR₃ = PPh₃, P(p-C₆H₄OMe)₃, P(p-C₆H₄NMe₂)₃, P(p-C₆H₄Cl)₃, P(OPh)₃, P(OMe)₃, PO₃C₅H₉) are described and the relative importance of carbonyl loss vs. phosphine loss as a fragmentation pathway is assessed. Qual., the phosphine ligands bind more strongly to Ir₄(CO)₁₁ clusters than to Ru₆C(CO)₁₆. The influence on the collision cell pressure on MS/MS spectra of transition metal carbonyl cluster anions is also explored showing that a greater, simultaneous, distribution of fragment ions is produced as the collision cell pressure is increased.