Fragment ion formation of quaternary ammonium salts under fast atom bombardment and field desorption collisionally activated dissociation conditions

Comparing fast atom bombardment and field desorption collisionally activated dissociation mass spectra of tetrabutyl ammonium salts it becomes evident that under fast atom bombardment conditions, besides desorption of intact salt cations, the ionization of intact salt molecules must be assumed. Alkyl ions formed under fast atom bombardment and not under field desorption collisionally activated dissociation conditions are ionization products of tetraalkyl ammonium salt molecules. Radical cations are produced by both techniques.