Singly and doubly interlocked [2]-catenanes: influence of the degree of entanglement on chemical stability as estimated by fast atom bombardment (FAB) and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometries (MS)

A doubly interlocked [2]-catenane and its topological stereoisomer are studied by FAB- and ESI-MS; whereas the behaviour of both compounds is identical under very mild conditions (ESI-MS at low extraction cone voltage), they show marked differences in more forcing conditions (FAB-MS and ESI-MS at high extraction cone voltage).