Mass spectometry of aralkyl compounds with a functional group—VI1: Mass spectra of 1-phenylethyanol-1, 2-phenylethanol-1 and 1-phenylpropanol-2

Mass spectra of 1-phenylethanol-1 and its analogues, specifically deuterated in the aliphatic chain, suggest that the [M? CH₃]⁺ ion is represented partly by an α-hydroxybenzyl fragment. Moreover, the molecular ion loses successively—after scrambling of all hydrogen atoms, except those of CH₃? a hydrogen atom and C₆H₆, generation the CH₃CO⁺ ion. Diffuse peaks, found in the spectra of of 2-phenylethanol-1 and its analogues, specifically deuterated in the aliphatic chain and in the phenyl ring, show that the molecular ion loses C₂H₄O, possibly via a four-center mechanism, after an exchange of aromatic and hydroxylic hydrogens. Mass spectra of 1-phenylpropanol-2 and its analogues, specifically, deuterated in the aliphatic chain, demonstrate that in the molecular ion exclusively the hydroxyl hydrogen atom is transferred to one of the ortho-positions of the phenyl ring via a McLafferty rearrangement, generating the [M ? C₂H₄O]⁺ ion. Furtherore, an eight-membered ring structure is proposed for the [M ? CH₃]⁺ ion to explain the loss of H₂O and C₂H₂O from this ion after an extensive scrambling of hydrogen atoms.     

Mass spectrometry of aralkyl compounds with a functional group—VII. On the structure of the ions C8H9+ from C6H5C2H4X- and C9H11+ from C6H5C3H6X-compounds

The C₈H₉⁺-ion, formed from the molecular ions of 2-phenyl-1-bromoethane, 1-phenyl-1-bromoethane and of 1-phenyl-1-nitroethane by loss of the bromine atom and of the nitro group, splits off a molecule of acetylene after an almost complete randomization of hydrogens, as proved by deuteration. An eight-membered ring structure for the C₈H₉⁺-ion is proposed to explain these results. By loss of the nitro group from the molecular ions of 1-phenyl-1-nitropropane and of 1-phenyl-2-nitropropane the well-known phenylated cyclopropane ion3 (C₉H₁₁)⁺ is generated. Mass spectra of analogues, specifically deuterated in the side-chain, show that in this ion a randomization of hydrogen atoms in the cyclopropane ring as well as a hydride transfer from the cyclopropane ring to the phenyl cation occur.     

Ring expansion and hydrogen scrambling in the molecular ion of 3-methylthiophene

The ratio [M ? D]/{[M-D] + [M ? H]} in the 70 eV mass spectra of six deuterated 3-methylthiophenes has been determined. From these values the mole fractions of the molecular ions that lose hydrogen atoms specifically from the various positions of the molecule were calculated, as well as the mole fraction in which the hydrogen atoms are fully scrambled before hydrogen elimination. It appears that hydrogen atoms are mainly lost from a fully scrambled [C₅H₆S]⁺· ion and from the α-position of the original molecular ion. A deuterium isotope effect of 1·60 to 1·72 was calculated for the hydrogen elimination. The reaction was also studied at low electron energies. In order to determine the degree of scrambling in the [C₅H₅S]⁺ ions, some decomposition reactions of this ion were investigated.     

Evaluation of nitric oxide chemical ionization mass spectra of substituted benzenes

Nitric oxide chemical ionization mass spectra of substituted benzenes obtained with the Townsend discharge technique were studied. There were four kinds of base peaks in the mass spectra, i.e. [M + NO]⁺˙, M⁺˙, [M ? H]⁺ and [M ? OR]⁺ (R = H, CH₃). The formation of the specific ion [M + NO]⁺˙ was highly dependent on the kind of substituent, and it was produced more abundantly in the case of substitutions involving electron-accepting groups. The measure of [M + NO]⁺˙ production was evaluated from the value of the ratio [M + NO]⁺˙/M⁺˙. In mono-substitutions, it was clarified that the ratios of [M + NO]⁺˙/M ⁺˙ were correlated with the Hammett substituent constant s?_p or the electrophilic substituent constant s?_p⁺. Monosubstitutions (C₆H₅R) and toluene substitutions (CH₃C₆H₄R) could be classified into six groups in terms of base peak species, [M + NO]⁺˙/M⁺˙ ratios and substituents. In disubstitutions, the mass spectral patterns were governed by the combination of substituents. Mass spectral distinctions among ortho, meta and para isomers could be made in many cases.     

Ortho effects in organic molecules on electron impact: XI—the interesting ortho effect of the methoxy group in o-methoxy aromatic thioamides

It has been noticed that the major part of the loss of ?H from the molecular ion of most of the o-methoxythioamides results from an ortho effect of the methoxy group. Comparison of the MIKE spectra of the [M? SH]⁺ of 1-(2-methoxyphenylthioxomethyl)piperidine and 1-(2-methoxyphenylthioxomethyl)pyrrolidine with the MIKE spectra of [M? SH]⁺ of the corresponding unsubstituted compounds, reported earlier, indicated two parallel pathways for the formation of [M? SH]⁺ in the o-methoxy compounds. In the first pathway, as has been noticed in thioamides in general, the loss of ?H involves the migration of either the α-hydrogen in the amine moiety or the hydrogen attached to nitrogen. In the second pathway, the migration of a hydrogen from the o-methoxy group to the sulphur atom followed by ejection of SH from the molecular ion leads to a stable cyclized ion. Interesting secondary fragmentations as a consequence of this ortho effect have also been noticed.     

Mass spectrometry of 3-substituted 4-hydroxyisoquinolines and their derivatives

Under electron impact, 3-aryl-4-hydroxyisoquinolines form [M – H]⁺, [M – CO]⁺ and [M – H – CO]⁺ ions with a subsequent elimination of HCN or CH₃CN. A cyclic structure for the [M – H]⁺ ion is suggested. The primary act of fragmentation of the corresponding methyle ether derivatives is the loss of CH₃?, as well as H?; the further fragmentatio is similar to that described above. It has been established that the unusual [M – H]⁺, [M – OH]⁺ and [M – CH₅?]⁺ ions are formed when 8 fragments. Fragmentation schemes for all compounds are proposed based upon high resolution mass spectra and deuterated analogues.     

The ortho effect in the mass spectra of ortho/para isomers of bisphenol a derivatives and related compounds

New examples of the ortho effect in bisphenol A derivatives including interaction of the hydrogen of the ortho-hydroxy group with the neighbouring aromatic ring have been observed. The characteristic ions [M ? PhOH]^+middot; (m/z = 134) and [M ? CH₃ ? PhOH]⁺ (m/z = 119) were shown to form through the hydrogen transfer from hydroxy and isopropyl groups, respectively. The spectra of cyclic derivatives having ortho-hydroxy functions show [M ? 43]⁺, [M ? C₈H₉O]⁺, m/z = 147, m/z = 135 and [M ? C₉H₁₀O]⁺ ions. The proposed mechanims of the corresponding transformations were supported by mass spectra of deuterated analogues, methyl and trimethyl silyl ethers.     

Behaviour of isomeric methyl ethyl and ethyl methyl halosuccinates under electron impact. Elimination of a halogen atom by a multi-step mechanism

The electron impact mass spectra of isomeric methyl ethyl and ethyl methyl halosuccinates (X = Cl and Br) are surprisingly different. Only the isomers with the ethyl group remote from the halogen give rise to [M - X]⁺ ions. A low-energy collision-induced dissociation study of deuterium-labelled analogues of the former isomers indicates that the [M - X]⁺ ions are mixtures of protonated methyl ethyl maleate (major component, > 85%) and fumarate, and the loss of the halogen atom is a multi-step process including at least two specific hydrogen transfers. Migration of a β-hydrogen atom to the carbonyl oxygen within the ethoxycarbouyl group produces a primary radical site in a distonic intermediate which, by subsequent abstraction of a hydrogen atom from C(3), triggers the ejection of X from C(2) with concomitant double bond formation. Whereas in the other isomer an [M - X]⁺ ion is absent or negligible, a characteristic double loss of C₂H₄ and CO₂ is observed.     

Mass spectral study of ring E of taraxasterol and compounds with similar ring substitution

The origin of the [M–69]⁺ and [M–111]⁺ signals in the mass spectrum of taraxasterol was studied through the use of C(18), (19), (21), (22) and/or (30) deuteriated derivatives. The generality of these signals for ring systems with an exocyclic methylene group and a methyl moiety on an adjacent carbon was verified with 2-methylmethylenecyclohexane, 1-methyl-2-methylene-trans-decalin, 1,10-dimethyl-2-methylene-trans-decalin and some of their deuteriated derivatives. The most plausible mechanism for the formation of the [M–69]⁺ ion appears to involve cleavage of both bonds allylic to the exocyclic methylene group with a 1,3-hydrogen transfer from the adjacent ring. Genesis of the [M–111]⁺ ion is more complicated but a five-membered allylic ion generated from ring D is proposed.     

Mass spectrometric behaviour of 1-imino-substituted pyrazolo[1,2-a]-[1,2,4]triazoles under electron and chemical ionization

The spectra of five pharmacologically interesting substituted pyrazolo[1,2-a][1,2,4]triazole hydroiodides were measured under electron and chemical ionization. In the electron ionization spectra, in addition to the intense molecular ion peak of the free base (M⁺*), there was also a relatively intense molecular ion peak of the hydroiodide form, which is unusual since the hydroiodides are rarely so stable. The phenylimino and phenylamino substituents of the triazole ring affected the fragmentation behaviour of the compounds very much. The chemical ionization reagent gases used in this work were methane, isobutane, deuterated ammonia and acetone. In all the cases practically only [M+H]⁺ ions were observed, the only exception being acetone which also gave rise to intense [M+C₂H₃O]⁺ and [M⁺C₃H₇O]⁺ adduct ions. None of the reagent gases used was able to cause any fragmentation.     

Electron impact induced migrations of aryl groups in substituted 4(3H)-quinazolinones

Electron impact mass spectra of 2-diphenylmethyl-3-aryl-4(3H)-quinazolinones display ions arising from migrations of different aryl groups in the molecular and [M? H]⁺ ions. The most abundant ion due to rearrangement, [C₁₃H₉NO]^+˙, is formed by migration of a phenyl from the benzhydryl group onto N-1 and subsequent cleavage of the heterocyclic ring. Other rearrangements involve initial migration of the N-3 aryl group to the benzylic carbon. The mechanisms of migrations were elucidated by means of deuterium and ¹⁵N labelling and are supported by metastable spectra.     

Elektronenstoß-induzierte Fragmentierung von 1,2,3,-Thiadiazolen

The mass spectra of some alkyl-,aryl-, acyl-and aroyl-substituted 1,2,3-thiadiazoles and ofbenzothiadiazole are reported and interpreted. After the elimination of N₂ from the molecular ion a rearrangement of the [M—N₂]⁺.-ion occurs producing a thioketenion-radical. Some of the subsequent fragmentation processes demand this structure. Additionally expulsion of S and ·SH respectively from the non-rearranged [M—N₂]⁺.-ion is discussed.     

Substituent and H/D randomization in the mass spectra of substituted diphenylacetylenic compounds

The mass spectra of several substituted diphenylacetylenes are reported and the [metastable ion]/[daughter ion] ratios for the isomeric chloro- and bromodiphenylacetylenes suggested substituent scrambling in their respective molecular ions. The metastable ion data also indicated equilibration of the chloro substituents in a series of isomeric dichlorodiphenylacetylenes. In addition, the fragmentation patterns for the amino- and nitrodiphenylacetylenes differed somewhat from most other aromatic amino and nitro compounds. The aminodiphenylacetylenes fragment with expulsion of H₂CN from the molecular ion and the expulsion of HCN from the [M – 1]⁺ ion was only a relatively minor reaction. 4-Nitrodiphenylacetylene loses NO from the molecular ion and OH from the [M – NO]⁺˙, whereas the more familiar loss of OH from the molecular ion was not observed. The mass spectra of several deuterated substituted diphenylacetylenes clearly showed extensive (but not complete) H/D equilibration in the molecular ion or some subsequent decomposition ion. Comparative studies between 4-chloro and 4-bromo substituted biphenyl, diphenylacetylene and diphenyldiacetylene indicated similar degrees of H/D randomization, and the results showed that the ? C?C? group did not inhibit the proton equilibration between the two phenyl groups.     

Electron impact,chemical ionization and negative chemical ionization mass spectra,and mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectrometry–collision-induced dissociation fragmentation pathways of some deuterated 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) derivatives

Mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectrometry (MIKES) with collision-induced dissociation (CID) has been used to study the fragmentation processes of a series of deuterated 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and deuterated 2,4,6-trinitrobenzylchloride (TNTCI) derivatives. Typical fragment ions observed in both groups were due to loss of OR′ (R′ = H or D) and NO. In TNT, additional fragment ibns are due to the loss of R₂′O and 3NO₂, whilst in TNTCI fragment ions are formed by the loss of OCI and R₂′OCI. The TNTCI derivatives did not produce molecular ions. In chemical ionization (Cl) of both groups. MH⁺ ions were observed, with [M – OR′]⁺ fragments in TNT and [M – OCI]⁺ fragments in TNTCI. In negative chemical ionization (NCI) TNT derivatives produced M^?′, [M–R′]^?, [M–OR′]^? and [M–NO]^? ions, while TNTCI derivatives produced [M–R]^?, [M–Cl]^? and [M – NO₂]^? fragment ions without a molecular ion.     

Electrospray mass analysis of chemical oxidation of 1,2-diarylcyclopropanes by Cu(II) salt

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was used to study chemical electron-transfer reactions of 1,2-diarylcyclopropanes by Cu(II) salt in acetonitrile. The ion [M ? H]⁺ with a hydrogen atom loss and the solvent adduct ions, [M+42]⁺, etc., were detected as the initial reaction products, where [M+42]⁺ represents the ion whose mass is 42 u greater than the parent molecule M. From the study of deuterated derivatives, the hydrogen abstraction was revealed to occur at the 3 position of the cyclopropanes, and the mechanism of the hydrogen abstraction reaction and of the solvent addition were discussed.     

Selective reagents in chemical ionization mass spectrometry: Tetramethylsilane with ethers

Chemical ionization mass spectra of several ethers obtained with He/(CH₃)₄Si mixtures as the reagent gases contain abundant [M + 73]⁺ adduct ions which identify the relative molecular mass. For the di-n-alkyl ethers, these [M + 73]⁺ ions are formed by sample ion/sample molecule reactions of the fragment ions, [M + 73 ? C_nH_2n]⁺ and [M + 73 ? 2CnH_2n]⁺. Small amounts of [M + H]⁺ ions are also formed, predominantly by proton transfer reactions of the [M + 73 ? 2CnH_2n]⁺ or [(CH₃)₃SiOH₂]⁺ ions with the ethers. The di-s-alkyl ethers give no [M + 73] ⁺ ions, but do give [M + H]⁺ ions, which allow the determination of the relative molecular mass. These [M + H]⁺ ions result primarily from proton transfer reactions from the dominant fragment ion, [(CH₃)₃SiOH₂]⁺ with the ether. Methyl phenyl ether gives only [M + 73]⁺ adduct ions, by a bimolecular addition of the trimethylsilyl ion to the ether, not by the two-step process found for the di-n-alkyl ethers. Ethyl phenyl ether gives [M + 73]⁺ by both the two-step process and the bimolecular addition. Although the mass spectra of the alkyl etherr are temperature-dependent, the sensitivities of the di-alkyl ethers and ethyl phenyl ether are independent of temperature. However, the sensitivity for methyl phenyl ether decreases significantly with increasing temperature.     

Mass spectrometry of aralkyl compounds with a functional group—IX: Hydrogen scrambling in the molecular ion of hydrocinnamaldehyde

The molecular ion of hydrocinnamaldehyde (C₆H₅CH₂CH₂CHO) chiefly loses fragments C₂H₂O and C₃H₄O. Mass spectra of specifically deuterated analogues show that in the loss of C₂H₂O an α-hydrogen atom (with respect to the aldehyde group) is transferred to the aromatic part. A shift of the aldehydic hydrogen to one of the ortho positions of the phenyl ring and loss of C₂H₂O by a McLafferty rearrangement is not observed. In the loss of C₃H₄O also an α-hydrogen atom migrates to the aromatic part. Both reactions appear to occur with an extensive randomization of all hydrogen atoms in the molecular ion.     

Translational energy release and stereochemistry of steroids. IX-The mechanism of the elimination of water from metastable ions in epimeric 3-hydroxy steroids of the 5β-series

The mechanism of water elimination from metastable molecular and [M ? CH₃˙]⁺ ions, as well as from ions deprived of ring D, in epimeric 3-hydroxy steroids of the 5β-series has been elucidated by deuterium labelling, by the measurements of the translational energy released during loss of water, and by collision-induced decomposition mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectrometry. It was found that the dehydration of the metastable molecular ion in 3α-hydroxy steroids of the 5β-series occurs mostly regiospecifically as an elimination of the 3α-hydroxyl together with the 9α-hydrogen atom. The ring A in the molecular ion has to flip to the boat conformation to make this reaction possible. In the metastable molecular ion of 3β-hydroxy steroids of the 5β-series a different dehydration mechanism operates, with very little participation of the 9α-hydrogen atom. The mechanisms of water loss from metastable [M ? CH₃˙]⁺ ions and from ions deprived of ring D differ from that of the molecular ion.     

Mass spectra of some (Z)-α-Phenyl-β-(2-thienyl)acrylonitriles

The mass spectra of some (Z)α-(4-R′-phenyl)-β-(2-thienyl-5-R)acrylonitriles (R = H, CH₃, Br; R′ = H, CH₃O, CH₃, Cl, NO₂) at 70 eV are reported. Mass spectra exhibit pronounced molecular ions. The compound's where R = H, and CH₃ are characterized by the occurrence of a strong [M - H]⁺ peak. Moreover, in all the compounds a m/z 177 peak occurs. In the compounds where R = H, [M - HS]* and [M - CHS]* ions are present except the nitroderivatives. Where R = CH₃, [M - HS]⁺ ion occurs.     

Mass spectra of chlorinated esters: 2—Methyl mono- and dichlorobutanoates

The mass spectral fragmentations of methyl mono- and dichlorobutanates have been studied. Deutrium labelling and metastable ion analysis were used to elucidate the fragmentation mechanisms. The molecular ion peaks of the esters are weak and show only in the spectra of the monochloro isomers. A McLafferty rearrangement gives the base peaks in the spectra of methyl 2-chloro-, 4-chloro- and 4,4-dichlorobutanoate; α-cleavage, [COOCH₃]⁺, in methyl 2,2- and 2,4-dichlorobutanoate; [M? Cl]⁺, in methyl 3-chlorobutanoate; [M? Cl? HCl]⁺, in methyl 3,4-dichlorobutanoate; [M? Cl? CH₂CO]⁺, in methyl 3,3-dichlorobutanoate and [M? Cl? COOCH₃]^+˙, in methyl erythro- and threo-2,3-dichlorobutanoate. The mass spectra of the stereoisomers are nearly identical, the loss of a chlorine atom and the McLafferty rearrangement giving the higher peaks in the spectrum of the threo form.