The reaction of the hydrogen-bridged radical cation [NH2COHOCH2]•+ with dioxygen

Theory and experiment agree that the encounter complex [NH2C(O2)OHOCH2]
- + is the key starting configuration for the three product ions observed. These are: NH2C(OOH)OH+, the hydrogen-bridged ion [CH2OHN(H)CO]+ and NH2C(O2)OH
- +, generated by loss of HCO
- , O2H
- and CH2O respectively. The peroxide-type ion NH2C(O2)OH
- + generated in this experiment is not observed in the reaction of solitary ions NH2COH
- + with O2, which is ascribed to the stabilizing effect of the CH2O dipole in the terbody encounter complex.