CHARGE-REMOTE FRAGMENTATIONS - METHOD, MECHANISM AND APPLICATIONS

Charge-remote fragmentations are viewed as both a class of gas-phase ion decomposition reactions and as a method or approach to determining structures of biomolecules, surfactants and other lipophilic materials. Although they were first identified as decompositions of fatty acids, the processes are found in the fragmentations of steroids, prostaglandins, complex lipids, peptides, carbohydrates and certain antibiotics. This article is a review of the subject, emphasizing material published since 1988. It covers research focused on both expanding the scope of charge-remote fragmentation and applying it to real problems. Questions on the details of mechanism and energetics are also addressed. The 1,4-elimination of H-2 is still the favored mechanism of the cleavage of C-C bonds in saturated alkyl chains, but there are alternatives that deserve consideration.