Spectrometry

J.L. Holmes, "The neutralization of organic cations," Mass Spectrometry Reviews, 8, 513-39, November 1989.

John L. Holmes (University of Ottawa, Canada): "When writing this review, I was concerned that it not be just another catalog of results. It was intended to show the great promise that fast ion beam neutralization has for the generation of hitherto unknown small molecules and free radicals--but not without clearly emphasizing the pitfalls that can arise from the over-optimistic or incautious treatment of experimental results. Perhaps this more critical approach increases citability. A significant number of laboratories are constructing mass spectrometers with these experiments in mind. The field will certainly be competitive; after all, a new molecular species can be discovered only once. I consider that the extraordinary versatility of the mass spectrometer as a tool for exciting new physicochemical research will continue to be exploited for many years to come."