Several efficient techniques are available to detect the presence of distonic ions; the most appropriate method will depend on the ions internal energy and lifespan. Collisions between ions and uncharged molecules allow one to detect the location of the radical and charge site in order to confirm that the ion is not just a regular radical ion. When a molecule is ionized and can structurally be classified as a distonic ion, the molecules kinetics and thermodynamic properties have been greatly altered. However, additional chemical properties are based on the reactions of the central excited ions. Mass spectrometry techniques are used to study their chemistry.