Study of selected ions in the ammonia desorption chemical ionization mass spectra of peracetylated gentiobiose and two isotopically labelled peracetylated gentiobioses

The ammonia desorption chemical ionization (NH₃-DCI) mass spectra of peracetylated gentiobiose (1) and two isotopically labelled gentiobioses (2 and 3) were examined. Compound 2 is labelled with trideuteroacetyl groups in the non-reducing moiety and 3 with trideuteroacetyl groups in the reducing moiety. It is shown that the [M + NH₄ – 42]⁺ ion is not formed direct from [M + NH₄]⁺ by loss of ketene but appears to be formed by way of a nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction resulting in a neutral species which complexes with NH₄⁺. The disaccharides undergo cleavage at either side of the glycosidic oxygen joining the two sugar residues, a process which is accompanied by addition of H or CH₃CO to afford neutral species which complex with NH₄⁺. The structures of the ions resulting from H transfer have been inferred by comparison of their mass-analysed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) spectra with MIKE spectra of the [M + NH₄]⁺ ions of compounds of established structure. A ring fragmentation reaction of 1, 2 and 3 is reported.     

Studies in chemical ionization mass spectrometry 10—CI(CH3NH2) spectra of olefins

Both alkenes and cyloalkenes react with [CH₃NH₂]⁺˙. The possibilities and limitations of CI(CH₃NH₂) for the identification of structural isomers and for the determination of double bond positions are discussed. The quasi-molecular ions [M+CH₃NH₂]⁺˙ are shown to fragment in a manner observed for amines under MIKE conditions rather than at 70 eVelectron impact, which suggests that one is dealing with long-lived low-energy species.     

Ion–molecule reaction in the gas phase 4—Stereospecific nucleophilic substitution under ammonia chemical ionization conditions from diastereomeric methyl and benzyl ethers of 3-hydroxy steroids

The ammonia chemical ionization (CI/[NH₄⁺]) mass spectra of a series of diastereomeric methyl and benzyl ethers derived from 3-hydroxy steroids (unsaturated in position 5 and saturated) have been studied. The adduct ions [M+NH₄]⁺ and [MH]⁺ and the substitution product ions [M+NH₄? ROH]⁺ (thereafter called [M_sH]⁺) are characterized by an inversion in their relative stabilites in relation to their initial configuration. [M+NH₄]_α⁺ and [MH]_α⁺ formed from the α-Δ⁵-steroid isomers are stabilized by the presence of a hydrogen bond which is not possible for the β-isomers. This stereochemical effect has also been observed in the mass analysed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) spectra of [M+NH₄]⁺ and [MH]⁺. The MIKE spectra of [M_sH]⁺ indicate that those issued from the β-isomers are more stable than the one originating from the α-isomers. This behavior is also observed in the first field free region (HV scan spectra) for [MH]⁺, [M_sH]⁺ and [M+NH₄]⁺ which are precursors of the ethylenic carbocations (base peak in the conventional CI/[NH₄]⁺ spectra). Mechanisms, such as S_N1 and S_Ni, have been ruled out for the formation of [M_sH]⁺, but instead the data support an S_N2 mechanism during the ion-molecule reaction between [M+NH₄]⁺ and NH₃.     

Collision-induced dissociation study of cyclization of α-diazo-ω-arylsulphonylaminoalkan-2-ones

The collision-induced dissociation mass-analysed ion kinetic energy (CID MIKE) spectra (electron impact and chemical ionization) of five α-diazo-ω-arylsulphonylaminoalkan-2-ones and corresponding N-arylsulphonylazetidin-3-ones and N-arylsulphonylpyrrolidin-3-ones were studied. The [M ? N₂]⁺˙ and [MH ? N₂]⁺ ions of two types of the diazo ketones provide CID MIKE spectra similar to those of the corresponding M⁺˙ and MH⁺ of the heterocyclic compounds, i.e. a cyclization analogous to that in solution takes place. For the other three types of diazo compounds the Wolff rearrangement prevails in both the gas and liquid phases. The effect of the substituents on the cyclization process was studied. The data obtained permit the results of acid-catalysed cyclization of similar diazo ketones to be predicted on the basis of their CID MIKE spectra. Chemical ionization provides a closer similarity with reactions in solution than electron impact ionization, which can be rationalized by the protonation of the diazo ketone molecule being the driving force of the cyclization reaction either in solution or in the ion source of a mass spectrometer.     

Chemical ionization and collisional activation spectra of α,β-unsaturated nitriles

A study of the chemical ionization (CI) and collisional activation (CA) spectra of a number of α, β-unsaturated nitriles has revealed that the even-electron ions such as [MH]⁺ and [MNH₄]⁺ produced under chemical ionization undergo decomposition by radical losses also. This results in the formation of M ⁺˙ ions from both [MH]⁺ and [MNH₄]⁺ ions. In the halogenated molecules losses of X˙ and HX compete with losses of H˙ and HCN. Elimination of X˙ from [MH]⁺ is highly favoured in the bromoderivative. The dinitriles undergo a substitution reaction in which one of the CN groups is replaced with a hydrogen radical and the resulting mononitrile is ionized leading to [M ? CN + 2H]⁺ under CI(CH₄) or [M ? CN + H + NH₄] and [M ? CN + H + N₂H₇]⁺ under CI(NH₃) conditions.     

A comparative study on the behaviour of 1,3-diheterocyclopentanes (X = O,O; S,S; O,S) under electron impact. The formation of thioacetyl and thiiranyl cations

The electron-impact-induced mass spectra of 1,3-dioxolane (la), 1,3-dithiolane (2a) and 1,3-oxatbiolane (3a) and their 2-methyl (1b–3b) and 2,2-dimethyl [(CH₃)₂: 1c–3c or (CD₃)₂: 1d–3d] derivatives have been studied in detail to gain further insight into their ion structures and competing reaction pathways with low-resolution, high-resolution, metastable and collision-induced dissociation (CID) techniques. For compounds 1a–1d the most significant reaction is loss of H^˙ and CH₃^˙ by α-cleavage and a subsequent formation of CHO⁺ and C₂H₃O⁺ ions. The [M ? H]⁺ ions from 1a and 1b give a C₂H₃O⁺ ion which does not have the acyl cation structure as shown by their CID spectra. In compounds 3a–3d the sulphur-containing ions predominate, the C₂H₃O⁺ now having the acyl cation structure. 1,3-Dithiolanes (2a–2d) exhibit the most complicated fragmentation patterns. Furthermore the [M ? H]⁺ ion from 2a and [M ? CH₃]⁺ ion from 2b have different structures as well as the [M ? H]⁺ ion from 2b and [M ? CH₃]⁺ ion from 2c, as shown by their CID spectra. This can be utilized to explain why 3a–3c and 2a give principally a thiiranyl cation, whereas 2b gives a mixture of this and the thioacyl cation and 2c practically only the open-chain thioacetyl cation.     

Collisional activation spectra of the adduct ions of 1,2,3-triarylpropenones under ammonia chemical ionization conditions

Under ammonia chemical ionization (CI) conditions triarylpropenones undergo hydrogen radical-induced olefinic bond reduction on metal surfaces, resulting in [M + 2H + NH₄]⁺ ions corresponding to the ammonium adduct of the saturated ketone. The decomposition of the adduct ions, [MNH₄]⁺ and [M + 2H + NH₄]⁺, was studied by collision-induced dissociation mass-analysed ion kinetic energy (CID-MIKE) spectroscopy in a reverse geometry instrument. From the CID-MIKE spectra of the [MNH₄]⁺, [M + 2H + NH₄]⁺, [MND₄]⁺ and [M + 2D + ND₄]⁺ ions it is clear that the fragmentation of the adduct ions involves loss of NH₃ followed by various cyclization reactions resulting in stable condensed ring systems. Elimination of ArH and ArCHO subsequent to the loss of NH₃ and formation of aroyl ion are characteristic decomposition pathways of the [MNH₄]⁺ ions, whereas elimination of ArCH₃ and formation of [ArCH₂]⁺ are characteristic of the [M + 2H + NH₄]⁺ ions of these propenones.     

Competition in the formation of ion–neutral complexes. Expulsion of methane from the molecular ion of acetamide

An ion–neutral complex is a non-covalently bonded aggregate of an ion with one or more neutral molecules in which at least one of the partners rotates freely (or nearly so) in all directions. A density-of-states model is described, which calculates the proportion of ion–neutral complex formation that ought to accompany simple bond cleavages of molecular ions. Application of this model to the published mass spectrum of acetamide predicts the occurrence of ions that have not hitherto been reported. Relative intensities on the order of 0.1 (where the abundance of the most intense fragment ion = 1) ere predicted for [M – HO]⁺ and [M – CH₄]⁺˙ ions, which have the same nominal masses as the prominent [M – NH₃]⁺˙ and [M – NH₂]⁺ fragments. High-resolution mass spectrometric experiments confirm the presence of the predicted fragment ions. The [M – HO]⁺ and [M – CH₄]⁺˙ fragments were observed with relative abundances of 0.02 and 0.04, respectively. Differences between theory and experiment may be ascribed to effects of competing distonic ion pathways.     

Translational energy release and stereochemistry of steroids. XI—Determination of the configuration of α,β-unsaturated 3-keto steroid alcohols with the hydroxyl group in rings C and D

The elimination of water from metastable molecular ions of epimeric hydroxy steroids of the Δ⁴-3-keto series containing a hydroxyl group in the conformationally rigid rings C and D has been studied. The measurement of translational energy released during the loss of water and collision-induced decomposition (CID) mass-analysed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) spectrometry were the techniques used. It was found that it is possible to determine the configuration of the hydroxy steroids of this series on the basis of the CID MIKE spectra of [M ? H₂O]^+˙ ions formed by dehydration of metastable molecular ions in the first field-free region of a reversed geometry double-focusing mass spectrometer.     

Characterization of five [C4H7O]+ Ion structures. Fragmentation of the 2-pentanone molecular ion

The [C₄H₇0]⁺ ions [CH₂?CH? C(?OH)CH₃]⁺ (1), [CH₃CH?CH? C(?OH)H]⁺ (2), [CH₂?C(CH₃)C(?OH)H]⁺ (3), [Ch₃CH₂CH₂C?O]⁺ (4) and [(CH₃)₂CHC?O]⁺ (5) have been characterized by their collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra and charge stripping mass spectra. The ions 1–3 were prepared by gas phase protonation of the relevant carbonyl compounds while 4 and 5 were prepared by dissociative electron impact ionization of the appropriate carbonyl compounds. Only 2 and 3 give similar spectra and are difficult to distinguish from each other; the remaining ions can be readily characterized by either their CID mass spectra or their charge stripping mass spectra. The 2-pentanone molecular ion fragments by loss of the C(1) methyl and the C(5) methyl in the ratio 60:40 for metastable ions; at higher internal energies loss of the C(1) methyl becomes more favoured. Metastable ion characteristics, CID mass spectra and charge stripping mass spectra all show that loss of the C(1) methyl leads to formation of the acyl ion 4, while loss of the C(5) methyl leads to formation of protonated vinyl methyl ketone (1). These results are in agreement with the previously proposed potential energy diagram for the [C₅H₁₀O]⁺˙ system.     

Investigation of some pentasubstituted 1,4-dihydropyridines by means of fast ion bombardment,chemical ionization and electron impact mass spectrometry

Positive fast ion bombardment, positive chemical ionization (CI⁺) and positive electron impact (EI) ionization mass spectrometry were used to investigate a number of relatively large and structurally related organic molecules. Some of the major dissociation pathways observed in the CH₄-CI⁺ mass spectra are not present under NH₃-CI⁺ conditions, but are obtained in the collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectrum of the 50 eV MH⁺ molecular ion, formed in the latter reaction. The resemblance between the EI mass spectra and their fast ion bombardment counterparts, the effect of changing the energy of the bombarding Cs⁺ ion beam over the range 2–16 keV and the different degrees of internal excitation of ions formed in different CI reagent gases are discussed.     

Studies in chemical ionization mass spectrometry:Steroidal ketones

The CH₄ chemical ionization (CI) spectra of several keto-steroids are reported as well as the H₂ and C₃H₈CI spectra of a few keto-steroids. [M + H ? H₂O]⁺ is an abundant ion in the CH₄CI spectrum of 5α-androstane-17-one and the water loss from the [M + H]⁺ ions does not involve the hydrogens on C-18 and only involves the C-16 hydrogens to about 10%. The major loss process has not been determined.3-Keto and 17-Keto steroids are readily distinguished by their CH₄CI spectra. The effectiveness of substituents for directing attack by [CH₅]⁺ and [C₂H₅]⁺ can be estimated:carboxyl > methoxy ? carbonyl > bromo ? chloro > hydroxy. Significant differences are observed in the H₂CI spectra of two 5α-vs. 5β-steroids. Propane CI Spectra are similar to methane CI spectra, but show generally less fragmentation.     

Thermospray mass spectrometry of N-methylcarbamates

The thermospray mass spectrometry (TSP/MS) of five N-methylcarbamates is presented. This is the first time that ions other than [M + H]⁺ and [M + NH₄]⁺ have been reported using positive TSP/MS. Protonation of ROCONHCH₃ yields the [CH₃NH₂CO]^+· ion, with formation of the ion–molecule adduct [ROCONHCH₃ · CH₃NH₂CO]^+· through elimination of CO^+· from [CH₃NH₂CO]^+·, and the adduct [M + 75]^+·, [ROCONHCH₃ · OCONH₂CH₃]^+·, is also obtained.     

Investigation of lacidipine,a new 1,4-dihydropyridine antihypertensive agent and three chemically related compounds by means of chemical ionization,mass spectrometry and collision-induced dissociation

Chemical ionization of two 1,4-dihydropyridines, lacidipine and its Z-isomer, and their corresponding pyridines in three different reagent gases and the collision-induced dissociation (CID) of their respective mass-selected protonated molecular ions in the collision energy range 10–200 eV were performed on a multiple quadrupole instrument. The weakness of the Breasted acid NH₄⁺ as a protonating agent is clearly manifested in one of the ammonia positive-ion chemical ionization (CI⁺) mass spectra which displays the addition ion, [M + NH₄]⁺, as the favoured reaction channel. The stereochemistry of the precursor molecules, the exothermicity of the protonation process and the threshold of certain dissociation channels as a function of the collision energy are among the arguments invoked to explain some of the observed differences between the CI⁺ mass spectra and the CID data of the different isomers investigated. In an attempt to present a more comprehensive study, some high-performance liquid chromatographic retention times and resolutions are also given.     

The [CH5NO]+ ˙ potential energy surface: Distonic ions,lon-dipole complexes and hydrogen-bridged radical cations

By combining results from a variety of mass spectrometric techniques (metastable ion, collisional activation, collision-induced dissociative ionization, neutralization-reionization spectrometry, ²H, ¹³C and ¹⁸O isotopic labelling and appearance energy measurements) and high-level ab initio molecular orbital calculations, the potential energy surface of the [CH₅NO]^{+ ˙} system has been explored. The calculations show that at least nine stable isomers exist. These include the conventional species [CH₃ONH₂]^{+ ˙} and [HO? CH₂? NH₂]^{+ ˙}, the distonic ions [O? CH₂? NH₃]^{+ ˙}, [O? NH₂? CH₃]^{+ ˙}, [CH₂? O(H)? NH₂]^{+ ˙}, [HO? NH₂? CH₂]^{+ ˙}, and the ion-dipole complex CH₂?NH₂⁺ …? OH˙. Surprisingly the distonic ion [CH₂? O? NH₃]^{+ ˙} was found not to be a stable species but to dissociate spontaneously to CH₂?O + NH₃^{+ ˙}. The most stable isomer is the hydrogen-bridged radical cation [H? C?O …? H …? NH₃]^{+ ˙} which is best viewed as an immonium cation interacting with the formyl dipole. The related species [CH₂?O …? H …? NH₂]^{+ ˙}, in which an ammonium radical cation interacts with the formaldehyde dipole is also a very stable ion. It is generated by loss of CO from ionized methyl carbamate, H₂N? C(?O)? OCH₃ and the proposed mechanism involves a 1,4-H shift followed by intramolecular ‘dictation’ and CO extrusion. The [CH₂?O …? H …? NH₂]^{+ ˙} product ions fragment exothermically, but via a barrier, to NH₄^{+ ˙} HCO^…? and to H₃N? C(H)?O^{+ ˙} H˙. Metastable ions [CH₃ONH₂]^+…? dissociate, via a large barrier, to CH₂?O + NH₃⁺ + and to [CH₂NH₂]⁺ + OH˙ but not to CH₂?O^{+ ˙} + NH₃. The former reaction proceeds via a 1,3-H shift after which dissociation takes place immediately. Loss of OH˙ proceeds formally via a 1,2-CH₃ shift to produce excited [O? NH₂? CH₃]^{+ ˙}, which rearranges to excited [HO? NH₂? CH₂]^{+ ˙} via a 1,3-H shift after which dissociation follows.     

Reaction of cyclohexanone with [NH4]+ under chemical ionization conditions. 1—formation of protonated unsubstituted imines

High resolution and metastable decomposition spectra of the ions [M + NH₄]⁺ (and [M + ND₄]⁺) formed by reaction of [NH₄]⁺ (and [ND₄]⁺) with cyclohexanone have been measured. The results provide evidence that the m/z 98 ion, which is abundant in the chemical ionization (NH₃) spectrum of cyclohexanone, is in fact composed of two isobaric ions: a protonated imine ion and the molecular ion of cyclohexanone. The former is formed by a mechanism analogous to that occurring in solution.     

Fragmentation of acylium ions from methyl levulinate. Isomerization processes involving carbon and oxygen atoms of both carbonyl groups

The fragmentations of the acylium ions O?C⁺? CH₂? CH₂? CO₂CH₃ and O?C⁺? CH₂? CH₂? COCH₃ generated from methyl levulinate are governed extensively by the interaction of the two carbonyl groups. Both species eliminate a molecule of CO unimolecularly and under CID conditions. The results derived from measurements of ¹³C and ¹⁸O labelled precursors, together with kinetic energy release values, have been used to study the mechanisms. In the first of these acylium ions, both carbonyl groups are equivalent; this phenomenon can be the result of a 1,4 methoxy shift. In the second acylium ion, only the oxygen atoms change their positions; this isomerization occurs via the [M? H]⁺ of γ-valerolactone. Some other fragmentation processes also discussed in relation to ²H labelling are the formation of the [M ? COOCH₃] ⁺ ion and the loss of HCOOCH₃ in the collision-induced dissociation mass spectra of the first acylium ion, and the formation of the [CH₃CO]⁺ ion and the loss of H₂O for the second one.     

Electron impact fragmentation of pyranocoumarin derivatives. Tandem mass spectrometric study of abundant singly and doubly charged fragment ions at high and low collision energy

A series of novel pyranocoumarin derivatives were analysed by electron impact mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry at low aud high collision energy. The collision-induced decomposition tandem mass spectra of the [M ? CH₃]⁺ ions yielded several structurally valuable fragments and those of the [M ? CH₃]²⁺ ions allowed some charge-separation reactions to be recognized.     

Tetramethylsilane chemical ionization mass spectrometry of some isomeric unsaturated dicarboxylic acids and esterst

The tetramethylsilane (TMS) chemical ionization (CI) mass spectra of some geometrical isomers of unsaturated dicarboxylic acids, esters and isomeric phthalic acids reveal explicit differences. The (E)-acids show an abundant [M + 73 ? CH₄]⁺Ion whereas the (Z)-acids exhibit a strong [M + 73 ? H₂O]⁺ ion in their TMS CI spectra. The loss of CH₄ from the adduct of fumaric acid has been confirmed by the study of fumaric acid-d₂ and B/E linked scan studies. In the case of esters, the TMS CI spectra of (E)-isomers contain abundant [M + 73]⁺ adduct ions, whereas these are weakly abundant in the TMS CI of the (Z)-isomers.     

On the structures and fragmentation of [Me2S∵SMe2]+ and [Et2S∵SEt2]+: Tandem mass spectrometry metastable and collision-induced dissociation results

An experimental study of the metastable and collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra of [Me₂S∵SMe₂]⁺ and [Et₂S∵SEt₂]⁺ has been carried out. These ions are examples of species that contain two-center-three-electron (2c–3e) sulfur-sulfur bonds. The metastable and CID spectra provide experimental evidence of the atomic connectivity and of the 2c–3e bonds. The metastable cleavage of the S∵S 2c–3e bonds appears to occur with no reverse activation barriers and to result in small average kinetic energy releases. Fragmentation of the same bonds by CID results in the most intense product for both ions. Comparisons with the metastable and CID spectra of [MeSSMe]⁺, an ion with a two-center-two-electron (2c–2e) sulfur-sulfur bond, are made and strongly support the difference in the sulfur-sulfur bonding.