Investigation of chemical reactions in solution using API-MS

The general concepts, advantages, and applications of on-line and off-line screening to organic reaction mechanistic studies applying API-MS are reviewed. An overview is presented of the development and the present stage of connected microreactors to API ion-sources. Examples of the successful application of API in revealing, elucidating, and helping to consolidate several proposed mechanisms of organic reactions are summarized. Finally, a variety of outstanding features and advantages that make API-MS the most suitable tool for the fast screening of intermediates directly from solution, and the exceptional gains in chemical information for organic chemists are also emphasized.