GAS-PHASE FRAGMENTATION REACTIONS OF PROTONATED GLYCEROL AND ITS OLIGOMERS - METASTABLE AND COLLISION-INDUCED DISSOCIATION REACTIONS, ASSOCIATED DEUTERIUM-ISOTOPE EFFECTS AND THE STRUCTURE OF [C3H5O]+, [C2H5O]+, [C2H4O]+. AND [C2H3O]+ IONS

The chemistry of glycerol subjected to a high-energy particle beam was explored by studying the mass spectral fragmentation characteristics of gas-phase protonated glycerol and its oligomers by using tandem mas s spectrometry. Both unimolecular metastable and collision-induced dis sociation reactions were studied. Collision activation of protonated g lycerol results in elimiation of H2O and CH3OH molecules. The resultin g ions undergo further fragmentations. The origin of several fragment ions was established by obtaining their product and precursor ion spec tra. Corresponding data for the deuterated analogs support those resul ts. The structures of the fragment ions of compositions [C3H5O]+, [C2H 5O]+, [C2H4O]+. and [C2H3O]+ derived from protonated glycerol were als o identified. Proton-bound glycerol oligomers fragment principally via loss of neutral glycerol molecules. Dissociation of mixed clusters of glycerol and deuterated glycerol displays normal secondary isotope ef fects.