Fast and metastable fragmentation of deprotonated d-fructose - A combined experimental and computational study

► Metastable (≈8 μs) and prompt fragmentation (<200 ns) of deprotonated d-fructose is compared. ► Prompt fragmentation proceeds selectively with charge retention on the anomeric center. ► In metastable fragmentation charge retention on C6 contributes significantly. ► Classical dynamics simulations can predict metastable fragmentation of deprotonated d-fructose. ► Simulations reveal that the site of initial deprotonation determines the decay pathway.