SUSTAINED SUPPRESSION OF REDUCTION PROCESSES IN FAST-ATOM-BOMBARDMENTMASS-SPECTROMETRY

Reduction processes occurring in fast atom bombardment mass spectromet ry (FABMS) were studied for gentian violet using transition metal and tin chlorides as reduction suppression reagents. The results showed th at the suppression effect is longer lasting for gentian violet than fo r other organic dyes such as rhodamine-B, with the same reagents, or f or methylene blue, with p-benzoquinone and camphor sulphonic acid, as suppression agents. We suggest that the metal containing radicals gene rated in glycerol solution are responsible for these suppression effec ts. This phenomenon strongly supports the hydrogen radical addition me chanism to the substrate molecules. The occurrence of the analogous ra dical reactions in solution chemistry helps shed some light on FAB ion ization mechanism.