Comparison of the Stable Products Formed by Fast Atom Bombardment and γ-Irradiation of Glycerol

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/oms.1210220503

The major end-products formed by fast atom bombardment (FAB) and γ-irradiation of glycerol have been identified using capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.The product distributions differ dramatically.Products resulting from the recombination of either carbon-centered or oxygen-centered radicals are evident for both sources of irradiation.However, the major FAB-generated products are formed by the recombination of carbon-centered ^. radicals with other carbon-centered radicals while the major γ-radiolysis products result from the recombination of oxygen-centered ^. radicals with lower-weight carbon-centered species. γ-Radiolysis of an N2O saturated aqueous solution of glycerol, experimental conditions that strongly favor the formation of carbon-centered ^. radicals at the expense of the oxygen-centered species, yielded some products that were identical to those produced by FAB of neat glycerol.Finally, the free radicals produced by γ-radiolysis of glycerol were investigated by electron spin resonance spectroscopy and spin trapping with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide.The presence of only the carbon-centered free radical was established by this technique.The implications of these results are discussed.