Investigation of Self‐Assembled Supramolecular Species in Solution by IL‐ESMS, a New Mass Spectrometric Technique

Abstract

Discrete neutral assemblies in solution can be studied with the analytical method described here. A prerequisite is that one of the components contains an ion‐complexing site, for example a crown ether unit. When alkali metal ions are added, charged assemblies form, which can be examined by electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS) without disruption of their hydrogen bonds. IL in the title stands for ion labeling.