The strongest experimentally-observed gas-phase base has been reported in Chemical Science. The result of an exciting collaboration spanning the University of Wollongong, Queensland University of Technology, Australian
National University and University of Sydney.
Protonated retinal Schiff base decomposes in solution to yield an ion 2 Da lighter. Hansen and Trevitt (Wollongong) collaborated on a study lead by Coughlan and Bieske and coworkers (Melbourne) to identify and characterise this decomposition product using ion mobility spectrometry, photoisomerisation action spectroscopy and collision induced dissociation mass spectrometry. The article has just appeared online in the Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry.