Unimolecular fragmentations of long-chain aliphatic iminium ions

The metastable ion characteristics of N-alkyl-N-methylmethyleneiminium ions ($ {\rm H}_2 {\rm C}=\!=\mathop {\rm N}\limits^ + ({\rm CH}_3){\rm R} $, R = n-C_mH_{2m + 1}, m = 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 14, 18) are reported and discussed. For R = n-propyl, alkene loss by onium reaction and alkene loss by McLafferty rearrangement occur, whereas for the higher homologues only the latter reaction is observed. As a result of ²H and ¹³C labelling experiments, the mechanism of alkene loss by γ-H transfer and β-cleavage does not change with increasing chain length and the iminium ions do not isomerize prior to decomposition, neither by H–D scrambling nor by carbon skeleton rearrangement. Whereas the sequence of elementary steps during fragmentation is not affected, the energetics of the reaction change as the chain length increases. Resulting from thermodynamic estimations, the enthalpy of reaction ΔH_r, critical energy E₀ and reverse critical energy E_0r diminish markedly as R increases from n-propyl to n-octadecyl. The knowledge of the reaction energetics including kinetic energy release data allows information about partitioning of excess energy into internal and translational degrees of freedom to be deduced.     

Isomerization and fragmentation of methylfuran ions and pyran ions in the gas phase

The mutual interconversion of the molecular ions [C₅H₆O]⁺ of 2-methylfuran (1), 3-methylfuran (2) and 4H-pyran (3) before fragmentation to [C₅H₅O]⁺ ions has been studied by collisional activation spectrometry, by deuterium labelling, by the kinetic energy release during the fragmentation, by appearance energles and by a MNDO calculation of the minimum energy reaction path. The electron impact and collisional activation mass spectra show clearly that the molecular ions of 1–3 do not equilibrate prior to fragmentation, but that mostly pyrylium ions [C₅H₅O]⁺ arise by the loss of a H atom. This implies an irreversible isomerization of methylfuran ions 1 and 2 into pyran ions before fragmentation, in contrast to the isomerization of the related systems toluene ions/cycloheptatriene ions. Complete H/D scrambling is observed in deuterated methylfuran ions prior to the H/D loss that is associated with an iostope effect k_H/k_D = 1.67–2.16 for metastable ions. In contrast, no H/D scrambling has been observed in deuterated 4H-pyran ions. However, the loss of a H atom from all metastable [C₅H₅O]⁺ ions gives rise to a flat-topped peak in the mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectrum and a kinetic energy release (T₅₀) of 26 ± 1.5 kJ mol^?1. The MNDO calculation of the minimum energy reaction path reveals that methylfuran ions 1 and 2 favour a rearrangement into pyran ions before fragmentation into furfuryl ions, but that the energy barrier of the first rearrangement step is at least of the same height as the barrier for the dissociation of pyran ions into pyrylium ions. This agrees with the experimental results.     

13C labelling study of the interconversion of ethylbenzene, 7-methylcycloheptatriene and p-xylene ions

The isomerization of the molecular ions of ethylbenzene, 7-methylcycloheptatriene and p-xylene by skeletal rearrangement prior to the formation of [C₇H₇]⁺ ions has been investigated by using ¹³C labelled compounds. The results obtained for ions generated by 70 eV and 12 eV electron impact, and fragmenting in the ion source, the 1st field free region and the 2nd field free region, respectively, are compared with those obtained from D labelled derivatives. It is shown that at long reaction times metastable p-xylene ions lose a methyl radical after scrambling of all C atoms and H atoms, while the unstable molecular ions in the ion source react by specific loss of one of the methyl substituents. Both unstable and metastable ethylbenzene ions fragment by two competing mechanisms, one corresponding to specific loss of the terminal methyl group, and the other involving scrambling of all C and H atoms. These results are discussed by use of a dynamic model developed for the mutual interconversion and fragmentation of the molecular ions of ethylbenzene, methylcyclo-heptatriene and p-xylene. The experimental results can be explained by an equilibrium between metastable methylcycloheptatriene ions and p-xylene ions with sufficient energy for skeletal rearrangement, while about 40% of the metastable ethylbenzene ions fragment after rearrangement to methylcycloheptatriene ions and about 60% of the ethylbenzene ions rearrange further to xylene ions before fragmentation. Metastable methylcycloheptatriene ions, mainly lose a methyl group without a skeletal rearrangement, however, because the rearranged ions are kinetically trapped as ‘stable’ xylene ions or ethylbenzene ions.     

Low-energy fragmentations of five isomeric [H3, C,N, O2] +· ions

The low-energy fragmentation characteristics of the [H₃,C,N,O₂]^+· isomers [H₃CNO₂]^+· (a), [H₂C?N(O)OH]^+· (b), [H₃CONO]^+· (c), [HC(O)NHOH]^+· (d) and [HC(OH)?NOH]^+· (e) were studied in detail by metastable ion mass spectrometry. In agreement with most earlier observations, appearance energy measurements established the potential energy surface of the isomers a, b and c, showing the intricate interrelations between them. It was concluded that a isomerizes into b prior to fragmentation by loss of ^·OH and H₂O and into c before loss of ^·H and H₃CO^· moreover, the reverse reactions do not take place on the metastable time-frame. The dominant metastable process for isomers d and e (obtained via HCN loss from glyoxime) was generation of [H₂NOH]^+·. For isomer e this process was proposed to involved a rate-determining isomerization into d. It was concluded that isomers d and e do not intercommunicate with ions a, b and c prior to fragmentation. Neutralization-reionization mass spectrometry indicated that the enol form of formohydroxamic acid as well as the keto counterpart are stable in the gas phase.     

Skeletal and hydrogen rearrangements in the electron impact mass spectrum of propene

The mass spectrum of propene-2-[¹³C] shows 81% retention of C-2 in the [C₂H₃]⁺ fragment ion at 70 eV electron energy, decreasing to 75% C-2 retention at low electron energies. The mass spectra of propene-2-d₁, propene-1,1,3,3,3-d₅, propene-1,1,2-d₃ and propene-3,3,3-d₃ also have been examined at a resolution sufficient to resolve H₂-D doublets. The results at 70 eV electron energy show complete H/D randomization prior to fragmentation to form [C₃(H, D)₅]⁺ but, in agreement with the ¹³C labelling data, incomplete H/D interchange prior to fragmentation to form [C₂(H, D)₃]⁺. The results are interpreted in terms of a reversible isomerization of the propene molecular ion to a cyclopropane structure in competition with fragmentation.     

Structure and fragmentation mechanism of [C3H7S]+ ions

From a comparison of the metastable ion bundance ratios for loss of C₂H₄ and H₂S from [C₃H₇S]⁺ ions in a series of alkyl thio ethers and thiols it was concluded that in most compunds these ion s isomerize to a common structure prior to decomposition in the first field free region. The mechanism for C₂H₄ loss from the [C₃H₇S]⁺ ion gen erated from CH₃SCH₂CH₃ was investigated in detail using ¹³C and ²H labelling. A rearrangement with formation of a cyclic intermediate prior to the decompistion reaction is proposed. The fragmentation is preceded by extensive hydrogen scrabling. The carbon atoms of the expelled C₂H₄ molecule are those of the CH₂?CH₃ moiety.     

Collision-Induced dissociations of deprotonated peptides. Dipeptides containing aspartic or glutamic acids

Deprotonated dipeptides, on collisional activation, fragment by the characteristic process NH₂CH(R¹) CONHCH(R²)CO₂^? → NH₂^?C(R¹)CONHCH(R²)CO₂H → ^?NHCH(R²)CO₂H + NH₂C(R¹)?C?O, when R¹ and R² = H or alkyl. However, when one of the constituent amino acids is either aspartic acid or glutamic acid, the standard cleavage becomes minor in comparison with fragmentation through the α-side-chain of Asp or Glu. For example, [Asp-Leu - H]^? and [Leu-Asp - H]^? both fragment principally by loss of water, a fragmentation not normally noted for peptides. In addition, [Leu-Asp - H]^? loses CO₂ and also forms HO₂CCH?CHCO₂^?˙. These fragmentations establish that Asp is the C-terminal amino acid. In contrast, isomeric Glu dipeptides, e.g. [Glu-Ala - H]^? and [Ala-Glu - H]^? undergo similar fragmentation, both competitively losing H₂O and CO₂. Both spectra also contain a product ion at m/z 128, identified as the pyroglutamate anion. Product ion and deuterium-labelling studies have been used in an attempt to elucidate the complex fragmentation mechanisms in these systems.     

Mass spectrometric studies on o-terphenyl-2-13C: Identification of compounds related to its synthesis and fragmentation processes

After identification of the impurities, separated from synthesized orthoterphenyl (I) labelled in position 2 with ¹³C, i.e. o-xenylcyclohexanol (II), o-xenylcyclohexene (III), hexahydrotriphenylene (IV) and o-xenylcyclohexane (V), the fragmentation processes under electron-impact of molecules I, II and IV have been studied, advantage being taken of their ¹³C labelling. Mass spectrometric studies were carried out on an AEI MS-9 for determination of the atomic composition of the main ions and on a MAT CH-4 instrument for quantitative determination of ¹²C and ¹³C species, at low energy, assuming an equal sensitivity. The ¹³C labelling of position 2 in I, has not yet given clear evidence of a formerly assumed rearrangement into phenanthrenic structure after ring opening. The fragmentation of molecule II occurs in two ways, i.e. into a series of hydrocarbon fragments, produced from the molecular ion by loss of H₂O or into fragments still containing the oxygen atom. The difference between the fragmentation processes of the two series depends on the fact that the loss of H₂O from the molecule stabilizes the two carbon atoms adjacent to the C carrying the hydroxyl group. This is shown by the relatively higher ¹³C content of the hydrocarbon fragment in C¹⁵ compared with that of the equivalent oxygenated fragment. The labelling in IV shows how the rupture of the saturated ring occurs under electron-impact, the first C removed being the one nearest to the central ring.     

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.     

Bifunctional even-electron ions. V. Fragmentation behaviour of aliphatic hydroxonium ions containing an additional cyano group

The fragmentation behaviour of a series of bifunctional hydroxonium ions C₂H₅? C(?$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + {\rm H} $)? (CH₂)_n-CN (n = 0-6), a _n, has been investigated by electron impact mass spectrometry. The type of interaction-induced reactions depend strongly on the chain distance between the oxonium and the cyano moiety, but the initial step in all cases is proton transfer from the hydroxy to the cyano group. The following selective primary fragmentations have been found: loss of C ? NH (HCN) from a ₀, loss of CH₂, ? C ? NH from a ₁, loss of HNCO from a ₂-a ₄, loss of CH₃? CH? C ? O from a ₄-a ₆, and loss of CO from a₃. In addition, loss of NH₃ and H₂O, respectively, are observed as general fragmentations, except for the lowest homologues (a ₀ and a ₁). Mechanistic pathways of the selective reactions have been deduced with the aid of metastable ion spectra, high resolution, deuterium labelling and comparison of metastable ion spectra with those of independently generated ions.     

Alkane loss from collisionally activated alkylmethyleneimmonium ions

The collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra of five alkylmethyleneimmonium ions (H₂C-N⁺R¹R², (a) R¹ = R² = C₂H₅, (b) R¹ = n-C₃H₇, R² = H, (c) R¹ = n-C₃H₇, R² = CH₃, (d) R¹ = n-C₃H₇, R² = C₂H₅, (e) R¹ = R² = n-C₃H₇) are reported and discussed in terms of the mechanism of alkane loss. The most abundant alkane losses result from 2-azaallylic bond cleavages within R¹ and R² leading to daughter ions of m/z 84. Ion d (R¹ = n-C₃H₇, R² = C₂H₅) was chosen for a deuterium-labelling study because it exhibited methane loss nearly free from interferences with other fragmentations. The methane lost consists to a great extent (95%) of the methyl moiety of R². Whereas the methyl moiety obviously stays intact during the fragmentation process, the hydrogen additionally needed originates from all positions of R¹ and the double-bonded methylene in an approximately random distribution, suggesting extensive hydrogen migrations preceding the transfer step.     

In-source fragmentation technique for the production of thermalized ions

Our electrospray ionization-ion funnel-rf hexapole (ESI-IF-6P) source is designed to produce ions for threshold collision-induced dissociation (TCID) studies in a guided ion beam mass spectrometer. This ion source forms an initial distribution of Ca²⁺(H₂O) _x ions where x is 6–9. A new in-source fragmentation technique within the hexapole ion guide of the source is described, which is easy to implement and of modest machining and electrical costs, and is able to generate smaller Ca²⁺(H₂O) _x complexes, where x=2–5. Fragmentation is achieved by biasing an assembly of six 0.25 in. long electrodes that are inserted between the hexapole rods. The assembly is positioned in the high-pressure region of the source such that newly formed Ca²⁺(H₂O) _x ions undergo enough collisions to become thermalized, as verified by TCID studies. From the initial distribution of ions, fragmentation proceeds along the lowest energy pathway, which corresponds to sequential water loss for most complexes. However, the Ca²⁺(H₂O) complex cannot be formed using this method because charge separation into CaOH⁺ and H₃O⁺ becomes the lowest energy pathway from the Ca²⁺(H₂O)₂ complex. Therefore, this fragmentation technique can be used to identify the critical size complex for M²⁺(H₂O) _x systems, which we define as the complex size (x) at which charge separation becomes a lower energy pathway compared with simple ligand loss.     

Bicyclic oxonium ions with an oxygen bridgehead

Electron impact induced fragmentation of 4-(ω-phenoxymethyl and -ethyl)tetrahydn pyranes results in abundant [M ? 93] + ions through loss of a phenoxy radical. These ions are all produced in high yields by isobutane chemical ionization through loss of phenol from the quai molecular ions. Labelling data (²H, ¹³C) provide evidence for the l-oxoniabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane ai l-oxoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane structures of the electron impact produced decomposing (ion sour and first field free region) ions [M ? 93]L in the case of the methyl and ethyl compounds, respective.     

Charge localization and aromatic stabilization in large ring ions: Mass spectra of ms-porphyrins

The major mass spectrometric fragments of ms-tetraphenylporphin and ms-tetra(p-chloro)phenylporphin are [M ? H]⁺˙ and [M ? Cl]⁺˙, respectively. Metal derivatives of these compounds give a modified characteristic fragmentation pattern with peak groups ending in the ions [M ? 4H]⁺˙, [M ? ? ? 5H]⁺˙ and [M ? 2? ? 2H]⁺˙ for the metallo ms-tetraphenylporphins, and [M ? ?Cl ? 2Cl ? 3H]⁺˙ and [M ? 2?Cl ? Cl ? H]⁺˙ for Mgms-tetra(p-chloro)phenylporphin. Deuterated metal derivatives indicate random hydrogen loss from both phenyl and pyrrole carbons. However, metal substituents do not significantly modify the fragmentation pattern in the case of ms-tetra(p-methoxy)phenylporphin. These patterns can be explained in terms of aromatic stabilization of the fragmentation products, coupled with charge localization on the π system in the free base, on the metal atom in the metallo derivatives and on the methoxy function in the p-methoxyphenyl derivative.     

Studies on phosphatidylglycerol with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization: Fragmentation processes and structural characterization

Negative-ion low-energy collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) tandem mass spectrometry of electrospray-produced ions permits structural characterization of phosphatidylglycerol (PG). The major ions that identify the structures arise from neutral loss of free fatty acid substituents ([M − H − R _x CO₂H]⁻) and neutral loss of the fatty acids as ketenes ([M − H − R′ _x CH = C = O]⁻), followed by consecutive loss of the glycerol head group. The abundances of the ions arising from neutral loss of the sn-2 substutient as a free fatty acid ([M − H − R₂CO₂H]⁻) or as a ketene ([M − H − R′₂CH = C = O]⁻) are greater than those of the product ions from the analogous losses at sn-1. Nucleophilic attack of the anionic phosphate site on the C-1 or the C-2 of the glycerol to which the carboxylates attached expels the sn-1 (R₁CO₂⁻) or the sn-2 (R₂CO₂⁻) carboxylate anion, resulting in a greater abundance of R₂COO⁻ than R₁COO⁻. These features permit assignments of fatty acid substituents and their position in the glycerol backbone. The results are also consistent with our earlier findings that pathways leading to those losses at sn-2 are sterically more favorable than those at sn-1. Fragment ions at m/z 227, 209 and 171 reflect the glycerol polar head group and identify the various PG molecules. Both charge-remote fragmentation (CRF) and charge-drive fragmentation (CDF) processes are the major pathways for the formation of [M − H − R _x COOH]⁻ ions. The CRF process involves participation of the hydrogen atoms on the glycerol backbone, whereas the CDF process involves participation of the exchangeable hydrogen atoms of the glycerol head group. The proposed fragmentation pathways are supported by CAD tandem mass spectrometry of the analogous precursor ions arising from the H-D exchange experiment, and further confirmed by source CAD in combination with tandem mass spectrometry.     

Rearrangements and fragmentations of [C2H5S]+ ions

[C₂H₅S]⁺ ions (m/e 61) with different initial structures were generated in the mass spectrometer from twelve precursor ions. Abundance ratios of competing metastable ion decompositions were used to determine whether these ions decompose through the same or different reaction channels. It was concluded that all [C₂H₅S]⁺ ions isomerize to a common structure or mixture of structures prior to decomposition in the first field free region. From ¹³C labelling experiments it was concluded that [C₂H₅S]⁺ ions generated from the molecular ions of 2-propanethiol-2-[¹³C], partially rearrange to a symmetrical structure before decomposition to [CHS]⁺ and CH₄, whereas in [C₂H₅S]⁺ ions generated from the the molecular ions of 1,2-bis-(thiomethoxy-[¹³C]) ethane, the two carbon atoms become fully equivalent before CH₄ loss occurs.     

Fragmentation reactions of the enolate ions of 2-pentanone

The reaction of [OH]^? with 2-pentanone produces two enolate ions, [CH₃CH₂CH₂COCH₂]^? and [CH₃COCHCH₂CH₃]^?, by proton abstraction from C(1) and C(3), respectively. Using deuterium isotopic labelling the fragmentation reactions of each enolate have been delineated for collisional activation at both high (8 keV) and low (5–100 eV) collisional energies. The primary enolate ion fragments mainly by elimination of ethene. Two mechanisms operate: elimination of C(4) and C(5) with hydrogen migration from C(5), and elimination of C(3) and C(4) with migration of the C(5) methyl group. Minor fragmentation of the primary enolate also occurs by elimination of propane and elimination of C₂H₅; the latter reaction involves specifically the terminal ethyl group. The secondary enolate ion fragments mainly by loss of H₂ and by elimination of CH₄; for the latter reaction four different pathways are operative. Minor elimination of ethene also is observed involving migration of a C(5) hydrogen to C(3) and elimination of C(4) and C(5) as ethene.     

Metastable ions in chemical ionization

The ion [C₃H₅]⁺ generated in a chemical ionization source by a variety of methods, including protonation and charge exchange, exhibits a metastable peak for H₂ loss which is two orders of magnitude weaker than that formed in an electron impact source. The stable [C₃H₅]⁺ ions generated by electron impact and chemical ionization undergo collision-induced dissociation to a comparable extent, both losing H₂ by only one of the two competitive mechanisms observed for metastable ions. In contrast to the behavior of [C₃H₅]⁺, the molecular ions of p-substituted nitrobenzene, generated by charge exchange at high source pressure, yield composite metastable peaks for NO loss which are very similar in shape and intensity to those generated by electron impact. The contrasting behavior of the metastable ions extracted from high pressure ion sources in the two systems may be due to differences in the efficiencies of quenching of the ionic states responsible for fragmentation as metastable ions. It is noteworthy that the NO loss reactions require considerably lower activation energies than does the H₂ loss reaction.     

Rearrangements and fragmentations of [C2H5S]+ ions

From deuterium labelling experiments it was concluded that metastable molecular ions of ethyl methyl sulfide lose a methyl radical with the formation of both [CH₃S?CH₂]⁺ amd [CH₃CH?SH]⁺˙ The fragmentation reactions of metastable ions generated with these structure are losses of C₂H₂, H₂S and CH₄. These reactoins and the preceding isomerizations have also been studied by means of deuterium labelling. From the results it is concluded that the three fragmentation reactions most probably occur from ions with a C? C? S skeleton. Appearance energy measurements for ions generated with the two structures above and all give rise to the same ΔH_f value for these three isomeric forms. Ab initio molecular orbitals calculations confirm that these three ions fortuitously have very similar heats of formation. A potential energy diagram rationalizing the isomerizations and the principal fragmentation reaction is presented.