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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Determination of the Gas-phase Acidities of Oligopeptides
Published on: June 24, 2013
Observation of amide anions in solution by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
1Department of Pharmacy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT. francischiu@cuhk.edu.hk
Abstract:
Negative quasimolecular ions of aromatic carboxylic acid amides have been observed unexpectedly under electrospray ionization conditions. Hypothetically, deprotonation of either carboxamide or carboximidic acid tautomers can produce anions with equivalent resonance structures, the stability of which is affected by conjugated aromatic substituents. In this study, a series of meta and para substituted benzamides were analyzed using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in aqueous methanolic solutions. The degree of ionization was found to be pH dependent and was enhanced by electron-withdrawing substituents and suppressed by electron-donating groups. The observed effect on apparent acidity can be accounted for by resonance stabilization.
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