TOF-SIMS spectra of gallic acid, ellagic acid, castalin, and quercetin in negative polarity

Initially used for fermentation or storage, oak wood barrels were found to enhance the organoleptic properties of spirits. Over time, wood extractives like ellagitanins and aromatic precursors have been linked to the quality of the spirits. TOF-SIMS being an ionization technique produces intense fragmentation patterns that are not fully understood, and reference spectra are required to confidently analyze wood samples. Here, negative polarity TOF-SIMS reference spectra of important oak wood compounds being involved in spirit maturation, using a Bi3+ primary ion species, are presented.