Abstract Three routes have been explored in both a high-pressure chemical ionization (CI) source and a low-pressure Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) cell to generate the spiro [2, 5] octadienyl anion in the gas phase:(i) proton abstraction from spiro [2, 5] octa-4, 6-diene;(ii) expulsion of trimethysilyl fluoride by phenyl ring participation following fluoride anion attack upon the silicon centre of 2-phenylethyl trimethylsilane; and ...
