MOLECULAR-COMPLEXES OF CYCLODEXTRINS - APPLICATION OF ION-SPRAY MASS-SPECTROMETRY TO THE STUDY OF COMPLEXES WITH SELECTED NITRAMINES

Complex formation of the important nitramines, RDX, HMX and TNAZ with alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrins (CDs) was studied using ion-spr ay mass spectrometry (IS-MS). Complexations between beta-CD/TNAZ, beta -CD/RDX, gamma-CD/RDX, and gamma-CD/HMX were detected in the gas phase by this technique. Control experiments using alpha-CD and TNAZ did no t lead to a detectable molecular association, which is in accord with the previously reported NMR data. In addition, none of the nitramines showed any complex formation with the non-cyclic sugar, maltohexose. T he IS-MS results are in agreement with the previously reported conclus ions from proton nuclear magnetic resonance spin-lattice relaxation ti me measurements.