Hydroxyl Radicals via Collision-Induced Dissociation of Trimethylammonium Benzyl Alcohols

Abstract

The hydroxyl radical is a well known reactive oxygen species important for interstellar, atmospheric, and combustion chemistry in addition to multiple biochemical processes. Although there are many methods to generate the hydroxyl radical, most of these are inorganic based, with only a few originating from organic precursor molecules. Reported herein is the observation that trimethylammonium benzyl alcohols and their corresponding deuterated isotopologues act as a good source of hydroxyl and deuteroxyl radicals in the gas-phase under collision-induced dissociation (CID) conditions. Attempts to replicate this chemistry in the condensed phase are described.