Hydrogen migrations in mass spectrometry. I—The loss of olefin from phenyl-n-propyl ether following electron impact ionization and chemical ionization

Using specifically labelled compounds we have made a detailed study of the source of the hydrogen transferred in the elimination of C₃H₆ from the molecular ion of phenyln-propyl ether following electron impact ionization and from the protonated (and ethylated) molecule following chemical ionization. The migrating hydrogen originates from all three positions of the npropyl group but not in the ratio expected for randomization of the alkyl hydrogens prior to transfer. The source of the migrating hydrogen is similar for both electron impact ionization and chemical ionization, indicating that the factors governing the rearrangement are the same for both modes of ionization. From a comparison of the results for labelled 2,6-dimethyl phenyl n-propyl ethers with the results for the unsubstituted ether it is concluded that hydrogen transfer occurs only to the ether oxygen and not to the phenyl ring. A two-step mechanism involving a set of competing reversible hydrogen transfer reactions followed by C? O bond cleavage is proposed to explain the results.