Metalorganic chemistry in the gas phase: Insight into catalysis

Applications of electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS) to the study of reactions mediated by transition-metal complexes are reviewed. ESMS has become increasingly popular as an analytical tool in inorganic and organometallic chemistry, in particular with regard to the identification of short-lived intermediates of catalytic cycles. Going one step further, the coupling of electrospray ionization to ion-molecule techniques in the gas phase yields detailed information about single reaction steps of catalytic cycles. This method allows the study of transient intermediates that have previously not been within reach of condensed-phase techniques on both a qualitative and quantitative level.