Electron-impact-induced hydrogen migration in organic molecules I–Substituent effects in the mass spectra of pivlanilides

Substited pivalanilides give rise to fragments corresponding to anilies on electron-impact, which is due to the migration of a hydrogen atom from the t-butyl group to the nitrogen. The Hammett correlation indicates that the formation of this fragment is favoured by electron-donating groups. The other interesting feature of these spectra is the migration of the aryl group to the t-butyl carbon with the elimination of the neutral ketemine.