Formation and Properties of Distonic Ions

Cleavage of a bond without immediate dissociation of the precursor radical ion is one way for generating distonic ions. Isomerization of molecular ions by hydrogen radical shift frequently leads to distonic ions prior to fragmentation and, moreover, the distonic isomers are often thermodynamically more stable than their classical counterparts [37]  

The mutual interconversion of classical and distonic ions is not a fast process, because the isomers are separated by a conparatively high energy barrier. The ac- 

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