Highlights of 50 years of ionic reaction mechanistic studies

Abstract

In this article a retrospective overview will be presented on the development of ionic reaction mechanistic and catalytic studies over the last fifty years in mass spectrometry. The topic will be covered by a selection of sub-sections, including the McLafferty rearrangement, ion/molecule complexes during unimolecular dissociations of ions, distonic ions, H/D exchange in negative ion/molecule reactions, nucleophilic aromatic substitution, stereochemistry, small hydride solvated molecules and the radical anion H2O−, catalysis, reactive intermediates and reaction mechanistic studies in solution by use of electrospray ionization.