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Mel Comisarow

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Research and Teaching Interests

Our current research involves the development and exploitation of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectroscopy, fundamental research on Fourier methods in spectroscopy and application of these techniques to problems in chemistry. The advantages of FT-ICR spectroscopy, also known as Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS), were first recognized and demonstrated in our lab, as was the technique itself.

The FT-ICR technique is the single most versatile method for examining the gas-phase chemical reactions of ions with organic, inorganic and organometallic compounds. Our current research of this type involves primarily the ion chemistry of organometallic specie s, which we have shown to have a particularly rich chemistry. In addition, the FT-ICR instrument has great potential as an analytical mass spectrometer, especially for involatile samples. The laser desorption ionization technique (LDI) provides a means for creating gaseous  ions in one step, which can be subsequently mass analyzed by FT-ICR. LDI-FT-ICR is extremely versatile and can analyze high polymers, involatile organometallics, and a wide variety of biological molecules.

FT-ICR is best known for its ultrahigh mass resolution. Indeed, the ultrahigh mass resolution of FT-ICR spectrometers exceeds that of any other type of mass spectrometer.

FT-ICR depends heavily upon computer technology and also depends upon the mathematical algorithms that give spectroscopic parameters from the numerical computer output. We have discovered that existing techniques, while suitable for other computerized spectroscopies, lack sufficient accuracy for use in FT-ICR. We have dev eloped several approaches for analyzing FT-ICR computer output, including techniques free of the errors that are inherent in digital Fourier data.

Our development of FT-ICR spectroscopy has been warmly received by the world wide chemical community. Our FT-ICR publications have been cited over 1200 times in the scientific literature and there are now about 200 FT-ICR instruments in the world, with at least one on every continent of the earth. Most recently, the detailed citation for the 1996 Chemistry Nobel Prize, awarded for the discovery of C60, explicitly mentioned the FT-ICR "shrink-wrap" experiments that probed the hollow nature of C60.

Contact

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Office Room Number(s): 
Chem A337
Office Phone Number: 
604-822-3494
Fax Number: 
604-822-2847

Curriculum Vitae

B.Sc., University of Alberta (1963); Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University (G. Olah 1968); Postdoctoral, Stanford University (J. Baldescheweiler, 1969-71); Nicolet Academic Science Award (1985); Barringer Award of the Spectroscopy Society of Canada (1989); Award in Chemical Analysis and Instrumentation of the British Chemical Society (1993); Fellowship in Royal Society of Canada (1995), Field Franklin Award for Distinguished Achievement in Mass Spectrometry of the American Chemical Society (1995); Fisher Award in Analytical Chemistry of Canadian Society for Chemistry (1996).

Publications

1999

Taylor, S. M. ; Comisarow, M. B. Gas Phase Ion Molecule Chemistry Of Tetracarbonyl (Eta(5)-Cyclopentadienyl) Vanadium By Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry 1999, 182, 139-148.

1996

Comisarow, M. B. ; Marshall, A. G. The Early Development Of Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance (Pt-Icr) Spectroscopy. Journal of Mass Spectrometry 1996, 31, 581-585.
Comisarow, M. B. ; Marshall, A. G. Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Spectroscopy (Reprinted From Chemical Physics Letters, Vol 25, Pg 282-283, 1974). Journal of Mass Spectrometry 1996, 31, 586-587.

1994

Kan, Z. Y. ; Taylor, S. M. ; Comisarow, M. B. Gas-Phase Ion Chemistry Of (Eta(6)-C-C7H8)Cr(Co)(3) By Ft-Icr Spectroscopy - Beta-Hydride Transfer In Organometallic Ions. Journal of the American Chemical Society 1994, 116, 4449-4454.

1993

Comisarow, M. B. Fundamental-Aspects Of Ft-Icr And Applications To Chemistry. Hyperfine Interactions 1993, 81, 171-178.

1992

Chen, S. P. ; Comisarow, M. B. Modeling Coulomb Effects In Fourier-Transform Ion-Cyclotron Resonance Mass-Spectrometry By Charged Disks And Charged Cylinders. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 1992, 6, 1-3.

1991

Lam, Z. ; Beynon, L. ; Comisarow, M. B. ; Dutton, G. G. S. ; Bjarnason, A. Laser-Desorption-Ionization Fourier-Transform Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance (Ldi-Ft-Icr) Mass-Spectrometry (Ms) Of Bacterial Oligosaccharides. Biochemical Society Transactions 1991, 19, 922-929.

1990

Keefe, C. D. ; Comisarow, M. B. A Family Of Highly Accurate Interpolation Functions For Magnitude-Mode Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy. Applied Spectroscopy 1990, 44, 600-613.
Lam, Z. ; Comisarow, M. B. ; Dutton, G. G. S. ; Parolis, H. ; Parolis, L. A. S. ; Bjarnason, A. ; Weil, D. A. Laser Desorption Ionization Fourier-Transform Ion-Cyclotron Resonance Mass-Spectrometry Of Carbohydrates .1. Bacterial Oligosaccharides Containing Neuraminic Acid Or Pyruvic-Acid Acetal Groups. Analytica Chimica Acta 1990, 241, 187-199.

1989

McLeod, K. ; Comisarow, M. B. Systematic-Errors In The Discrete Integration Of Ft-Nmr Spectra. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 1989, 84, 490-500.
Lee, J. P. ; Comisarow, M. B. Advantageous Apodization Functions For Absorption-Mode Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy. Applied Spectroscopy 1989, 43, 599-604.
Keefe, C. D. ; Comisarow, M. B. Exact Interpolation Of Apodized, Magnitude-Mode Fourier-Transform Spectra. Applied Spectroscopy 1989, 43, 605-607.
Chow, K. H. ; Comisarow, M. B. Frequency (Mass) Errors And Phase Dependence In Magnitude-Mode Apodized Fourier-Transform Ion-Cyclotron Resonance-Spectra. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Processes 1989, 89, 187-203.
Chow, K. H. ; Comisarow, M. B. Magnitude-Lorentzian Interpolation Of Discrete, Absorption-Mode Fourier-Transform Spectra. Computers & Chemistry 1989, 13, 291-296.

1988

Lee, J. P. ; Chow, K. H. ; Comisarow, M. B. Anomalous Intensities Of Apodized And Unapodized Magnitude Spectra. Analytical Chemistry 1988, 60, 2212-2218.

1987

Lee, J. P. ; Comisarow, M. B. The Phase Dependence Of Magnitude Spectra. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 1987, 72, 139-142.
Aarstol, M. ; Comisarow, M. B. Apodization Of Ft-Icr Spectra. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Processes 1987, 76, 287-297.
Lee, J. P. ; Comisarow, M. B. Advantageous Apodization Functions For Magnitude-Mode Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy. Applied Spectroscopy 1987, 41, 93-98.
Serreqi, A. ; Comisarow, M. B. Frequency Interpolation Of Discrete, Apodized, Magnitude Lineshapes. Applied Spectroscopy 1987, 41, 288-295.
Buchanan, M. V. ; Comisarow, M. B. Principles And Features Of Fourier-Transform Mass-Spectrometry. Acs Symposium Series 1987, 359, 1-20.

1986

Comisarow, M. B. ; Nibbering, N. M. M. Fourier-Transform Ion-Cyclotron Resonance Mass-Spectrometry - Preface. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Processes 1986, 72, 1-2.

1985

Comisarow, M. B. ; Lee, J. Phase Distortions In Absorption-Mode Fourier-Transform Ion-Cyclotron Resonance-Spectra. Analytical Chemistry 1985, 57, 464-468.

1984

Comisarow, M. B. Why C-13 Ft Nmr-Spectra Cannot Be Phased. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 1984, 58, 209-218.

1983

Chan, S. O. ; Comisarow, M. B. Apodization And Exact Integration Of Fourier-Transform Nuclear Magnetic-Resonance Spectra. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 1983, 54, 201-215.
Chan, S. O. ; Comisarow, M. B. Exact Interpolation And Integration Of Fourier-Transform Nuclear Magnetic-Resonance Spectra. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 1983, 51, 252-263.
Giancaspro, C. ; Comisarow, M. B. Exact Interpolation Of Fourier-Transform Spectra. Applied Spectroscopy 1983, 37, 153-166.

1981

Koppel, I. A. ; Molder, U. H. ; Comisarow, M. B. Abinitio Scf Lcao Mo Calculations Of Molecules .2. Ionization-Potentials. Organic Reactivity 1981, 18, 19-41.
Comisarow, M. B. Cubic Trapped-Ion Cell For Ion-Cyclotron Resonance. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Processes 1981, 37, 251-257.

1980

1979

Parisod, G. ; Comisarow, M. B. Determination Of Ion-Molecule Collision Frequencies By Fourier-Transform Ion-Cyclotron Resonance Spectroscopy. Chemical Physics Letters 1979, 62, 303-305.
Comisarow, M. B. ; Melka, J. D. Error Estimates For Finite Zero-Filling In Fourier-Transform Spectrometry. Analytical Chemistry 1979, 51, 2198-2203.

1978

Comisarow, M. B. Application Of Rotating Electric Monopole Theory To Marginal Oscillators. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Processes 1978, 26, 369-378.
Comisarow, M. B. ; Grassi, V. ; Parisod, G. Fourier-Transform Ion-Cyclotron Double-Resonance. Chemical Physics Letters 1978, 57, 413-416.

1977

Comisarow, M. Gas-Phase Competitive Anionic Cleavage Of Esters. Canadian Journal of Chemistry-Revue Canadienne De Chimie 1977, 55, 171-173.

1976

1975

Marshall, A. G. ; Comisarow, M. B. Fourier And Hadamard Transform Methods In Spectroscopy. Analytical Chemistry 1975, 47, A491-&.
Comisarow, M. B. ; Marshall, A. G. Resolution-Enhanced Fourier-Transform Ion-Cyclotron Resonance Spectroscopy. Journal of Chemical Physics 1975, 62, 293-295.