Just read a recent paper on the "Mass Spec Ion Structure Controlled by Solvent Effects"
(Tian, Z.; Kass, S. R. J. Am. Chem. Soc.; 2008; 130(33); 10842-10843. DOI: 10.1021/ja802088u)
Everyone know that the Electrospray Ionization ( ESI) converts the molecules from liquid-phase to gas phase for MS analysis. However, the biomolecules could produce different ion fragments by ionized at different sites, and the molecular ions in the liquid and gas phase are not the same. It is fundamental importamt to know about the whether the Electrospray Ionization Produce Gas-Phase or Liquid-Phase Structures for those bioresearchers who are research on the biomolecule reactivity or identify the protein fragments by MS.
Their strategy is: Use the trimethylsiyl Azide to derivatize tyrosine carboxylate ( stable ion in liquid phase) and Tyrosine Phenoxide ( stable ion in gas phase). These two ions have the same mass.
Will update @ Monday.
