CATION TAGGING FOR MONITORING GAS-PHASE REACTIONS - ELECTROSPRAY FTICR MS STUDY OF ESTER PYROLYSIS/

Seven different tetraphenylpyridinium esters were chosen as model comp ounds for studying gas phase pyrolysis reactions by Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (FTICR/MS) Collisionally Act ivated Dissociation (CAD) using cation tagging. In this technique a st able positive charge (tetraphenyl pyridinium) is introduced to one end of the system so the reaction that occurs at the other end can be mon itored easily using mass spectrometry. Threshold fragmentation energie s and rate Constants were calculated for all seven starting materials and a comparison of their observed relative fragmentation rates was ma de. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.