An investigation of the mechanism of single and double hydrogen atom transfer reactions in alkyl benzoates by the ortho effect

Single and double hydrogen atom transfers in reactions (1) and (2) in the mass spectra of ethyl benzoate, isopropyl benzoate, and isobutyl benzoate have been investigated with reference to the ortho effect: (1) [C₆H₅CO₂R]⁺? → [C₆H₅CO₂H]⁺? (m/z 122) + (R-H); (2) [C₆H₅CO₂R]⁺? → [C₆H₅CO₂H₂]⁺ (m/z 123) + · (R-2H). It is demonstrated that the intermediate ion [C₆H₅CO₂H₂]⁺ has the protonated benzoic acid structure with the hydrogen atom on the carbonyl group.     

Ion-neutral complex-mediated hydrogen exchange in ionized n-butanol: A mechanism for ‘non-specific’ hydrogen migrations

Water elimination from ionized n-butanol reflects near randomization of all hydrogens in ions decomposing after ～10^?5s. This probably takes place in ion-neutral complexes by formation of a cyclobutane ion–H₂O complex and/or rearrangement within [C₄H₈]⁺˙ in open-chain [C₄H₈⁺˙? H₂O] complexes, in either case accompanied by hydrogen exchange between water and open-chain hydrocarbon moieties. Extensive hydrogen rearrangements in which restraints on conventional transition-state ring size have little apparent influence may generally be ion–neutral complex-mediated processes.     

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.     

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.     

Hydrogen migrations in mass spectrometry. III–Energetics of formation of [R′CO2H2]+ in the mass spectra of R′CO2R

The appearance potentials for the [R'CO₂H₂]⁺ ion produced in the fragmentation process \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \left[{{\rm R}^{\rm '} {\rm CO}_{\rm 2} {\rm R}} \right]_{}^{_.^ + } $\end{document} → [R'CO₂H₂]⁺+[R? 2H] have been measured using mono-energetic electron impact techniques for ethyl, n-propyl, and i-propyl formates and acetates. The results indicate that at the threshold the product ion has the protonated acid structure with the hydrogen on the carbonyl and not the hydroxyl group, and that the neutral product for the propyl esters is the allyl radical and not the cyclopropyl radical. For the propyl formates and acetates the appearance potential of the [R'CO₂H₂]⁺ ion is identical with the adiabatic ionization potential of the parent ester (measured by photoelectron spectroscopy) indicating that fragmentation occurs for ground state molecular ions. A two-step mechanism is proposed to rationalize the results.     

Mass spectrometric decomposition processes of 2-methyl-1-hexene

Unimolecular decompositions of 2-methyl-1-hexene and several labelled analogues were studied following 70 eV electron impact (normal and metastable spectra) and field ionization (field ionization kinetic measurements). Molecules labelled with ¹³C in the 1-position and the methyl position were found to behave essentially identically. This is attributed to rapid transfer of a hydrogen atom mainly from C-5 to C-1 (γ-hydrogen shift). Loss of ethene, propene or propenyl do not involve loss of the methyl carbon or C-1. All three reactions are better than 90% specific in this respect under all conditions studied. At shorter times, C₃H₆ loss is the dominant reaction, while at longer times C₂H₆ loss accounts for >90% of the ion current. It is proposed that at least two distinct pathways for C₂H₄ loss operate in linear 1-alkenes, one of which (loss of carbons 1 and 2) is blocked by a 2-methyl substituent. The [C₆H₁₁]^+˙ and [C₅H₁₀]^+˙ ions formed from ¹³C labelled 2-methyl-1-hexenes fragment in an essentially statistical fashion.     

Charge separation reactions of doubly charged benzene ions

Photoion-photoion coincidence spectra of benzene and benzene-d₆ photoionized by He(II) light and synchrotron radiation show the existence of six major and eight minor charge-separation reactions of the [C₆H₆]²⁺ ion. Three main groups of ion pairs are related to [C₃H₃]⁺ + [C₃H₃]⁺, [C₂H₃]⁺ + [C₄H₃]⁺ and [CH₃]⁺ + [C₅H₃]⁺, with appearance energies of 32.2 ± 0.5 eV, 31.3 ± 0.5 eV and 28.4 ± 0.3 eV. The kinetic energy release is the same for all pairs within a group, irrespective of hydrogen number, but differs from group to group. Results are interpreted in terms of fast, direct charge separation of [C₆H₆]²⁺, and subsequent hydrogen loss by the singly charged fragments.     

Structure and mechanism of fragmentation of [C2H5O]+

The decomposition reactions of [C₂H₅O]⁺ ions produced by dissociative electron-impact ionization of 2-propanol have been studied, using ¹³C and deuterium labeling coupled with metastable intensity studies. In addition, the fragmentation reactions following protonation of appropriately labeled acetaldehydes and ethylene oxides with [H₃]⁺ or [D₃]⁺ have been investigated. In both studies particular attention has been paid to the reactions leading to [CHO]⁺, [C₂H₃]⁺ and [H₃O]⁺. In both the electron-impact-induced reactions and the chemical ionization systems the fragmentation of [C₂H₅O]⁺ to both [H₃O]⁺ and [C₂H₃]⁺ proceeds by a single mechanism. For each case the reaction involves a mechanism in which the hydrogen originally bonded to oxygen is retained in the oxygen containing fragment while the four hydrogens originally bonded to carbon become indistinguishable. The fragmentation of [C₂H₅O]⁺ to produce [CHO]⁺ proceeds by a number of mechanisms. The lowest energy route involves complete retention of the α carbon and hydrogen while a higher energy route proceeds by a mechanism in which the carbons and the attached hydrogens become indistinguishable. A third distinct mechanism, observed in the electron-impact spectra only, proceeds with retention of the hydroxylic hydrogen in the product ion. Detailed fragmentation mechanisms are proposed to explain the results. It is suggested that the [C₂H₅O]⁺ ions formed by protonation of acetaldehyde or ionization of 2-propanol are produced initially with the structure [CH₃CH?\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $\end{document}H] (a), but isomerize to [CH₂?CH? \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $\end{document}H₂] (e) prior to decomposition to [C₂H₃]⁺ or [H₃O]⁺. The results indicate that the isomerization a → e does not proceed directly, possibly because it is symmetry forbidden, but by two consecutive [1,2] hydrogen shifts. A more general study of the electron-impact mass spectrum of 2-propanol has been made and the fragmentation reactions proceeding from the molecular ion have been identified.     

Metastable ion studies. III—composite metastable peaks in fragmentations of some small hydrocarbon cations

Composite metastable peaks are generated in the unimolecular fragmentations (i) [C₃H₅]⁺ → [C₃H₃]⁺ + H₂ (flat-top upon flat-top) and (ii) [C₄H₉]⁺ → [C₃H₅]⁺ + CH₄ (flat-top and gaussian). The measurement of appearance potentials and kinetic energy releases lead us to conclude, in agreement with earlier proposals, that in (i) the components can arise from the generation of the isomeric cyclopropenium and propargyl daughter cations. In (ii) the components are proposed to arise from the fragmentation of tert- and sec-butyl cations yielding allyl as the common daughter ion. The composite peak observed in the fragmentation (iii) [C₃H₄]⁺· → [C₃H₃]⁺ + H· is shown to be present only if the decomposing molecular ion is large enough to also produce [C₆H₈]²⁺ ions. The second component in (iii) then arises from the reaction [C₆H₈]²⁺ → [C₆H₆]²⁺ + H₂.     

Electron impact studies—LXVII. The mass spectra of alkyl-1,3-dithianes

The mass spectra of 1,3-dithiane, 2-methyl- and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dithiane have been studied by ²H labelling and metastable defocusing. The various molecular ions eliminate S₂H. to produce the ions [C₄H₇]⁺, [C₅H₉]⁺ and [C₆H₁₁]⁺ respectively, each of which scramble the hydrogens either before or accompanying further decomposition. Other processes are complex, but parallel those already reported for 2-aryl-1,3-dithianes.     

Addition des O'Donnell Reagenzes [Ph2C=NCHCO2Me]– an π-koordinierte,ungesättigte Kohlenwasserstoffe in [(C6H7)Fe(CO)3]+, [(C7H9)Fe(CO)3]+, [(C7H7)M(CO)3]+ (M = Cr,Mo) und [(C2H4)Re(CO)5]+. α-Aminosäuren mit metallorganischen Seitenketten

Metal Complexes of Biologically Important Ligands. CXVII [1] Addition of the O'Donnell Reagent [Ph₂C=NCHCO₂Me]^– to Coordinated, Unsaturated Hydrocarbons of [(C₆H₇)Fe(CO)₃]⁺, [C₇H₉Fe(CO)₃]⁺, [(C₇H₇)M(CO)₃]⁺ (M = Cr, Mo), and [(C₂H₄)Re(CO)₅]⁺. α-Amino Acids with Organometallic Side Chains The addition of [Ph₂C=NCHCO₂Me]^– to [(C₆H₇)Fe(CO)₃]⁺, [(C₇H₉)Fe(CO)₃]⁺, [(C₇H₇)M(CO)₃]⁺ (M = Cr, Mo) and [(C₂H₄)Re(CO)₅]⁺ gives derivatives of α-amino acids with organometallic side chains. The structure of [(η⁴-C₆H₇)CH(N=CPh₂)CO₂Me]Fe(CO)₃ was determined by X-ray diffraction. From the adduct of [Ph₂C=NCHCO₂Me]^– and [(C₇H₇)Mo(CO)₃]⁺ the Schiff base of a new unnatural α-amino acid, Ph₂C=NCH(C₇H₇)CO₂Me, was obtained.     

Energy and substituent effects on the mass spectra of substituted benzophenones

For two competing decompositions of the same molecular ion to give products [A₁⁺] and [A₂⁺], the ratio [A₁⁺]/[A₂⁺], is equal to the ratio of rate constants for the formation of the stable ions. Thr ratios, [Y C₇H₄O⁺]/[C₇H₅O⁺], were determined for several benzophenones for electron energies from 15 to 70 eV. Plots of log [Y C₇H₄O⁺]/[C₇H₅O⁺] vs.[ω⁺] gave good straight lines at all energies. Similar correlations have been reported for log [Y C₇H₆⁺]/[C₇H₇⁺] from substituted diphenyl ethanes and are also true for substituted acetophenones, log [YøCO⁺]/[CH₃CO⁺]. A few charge exchange data were obtained which showed the same general trend as the electron-impact data and emphasize the contribution of low energy ions in the 70 eV mass spectra. Relatively poor correlations were obtained for the [Y C₆H₄⁺] and [C₆H₅⁺] ions that are formed by both one-step and two-step decompositions.     

Loss of methyl from [H2CC(OH)?CH3]+˙ ions prepared by electron impact ionization of unstable 2-hydroxypropene

Unstable 2-hydroxpropene was prepared by retro-Diels-Alder decomposition of 5-exo-methyl-5-norbornenol at 800°C/2 × 10^?6 Torr. The ionization energy of 2-hydroxypropene was measured as 8.67±0.05 eV. Formation of [C₂H₃O]⁺ and [CH₃]⁺ ions originating from different parts of the parent ion was examined by means of ¹³C and deuterium labelling. Threshold-energy [H₂C?C(OH)? CH₃]^+˙ ions decompose to CH₃CO⁺+CH₃^˙ with appearance energy AE(CH₃CO⁺) = 11.03 ± 0.03 eV. Higher energy ions also form CH₂?C?OH⁺ + CH₃ with appearance energy AE(CH₂?C?OH⁺) = 12.2–12.3 eV. The fragmentation competes with hydrogen migration between C(1) and C(3) in the parent ion. [C₂H₃O]⁺ ions containing the original methyl group and [CH₃]⁺ ions incorporating the former methylene and the hydroxyl hydrogen atom are formed preferentially, compared with their corresponding counterparts. This behaviour is due to rate-determining isomerization [H₂C?C(OH)? CH₃]^+˙ →[CH₃COCH₃]^+˙, followed by asymmetrical fragmentation of the latter ions. Effects of internal energy and isotope substitution are discussed.     

Electrophilic aromatic substitution under chemical ionization conditions. Methylamine and ammonia as reagent gases

For compounds C₆H₅X (X?Cl, Br, I) under chemical ionization conditions, methylamine causes ipso substitution of X by [NH₂CH₃]⁺ and by [NH₂]⁺˙. C₆H₅F is less reactive; it gives some [C₆H₅NH₂]⁺˙. Nitrobenzene gives an adduct ion [M+CH₃NH₃]⁺, a reduction product ion [C₆H₅NO₂]⁺˙, and an ion at m/z93, probably a substitution product [C₆H₅NH₂]⁺˙, but no [C₆H₅NH₂CH₃]⁺. It is also shown that the ion m/z94, formed from nitrobenzene with ammonia as reagent gas, is a substitution product rather than a reduction product ion. Carbonyl compounds C₆H₅. CO. X give adduct ions and some substitution, mainly [C₆H₅NH₂]⁺˙.     

Ionization and appearance potentials in organic chemistry. I—energetic aspects of the mass spectra of stereoisomeric 4-substituted N-alkyl-2-methyldecahydroquinol-4-ols

The ionization potentials for the stereoisomers of trans-fused 1,2-dimethyl- and 1-ethyl-2-methyl-4-R-decahydroquinol-4-ols (R?C?CH, CH?CH₂ or C₂H₅) and the appearance potentials for the [M–CH₃]⁺ and [M–C₂H₅]⁺ ions (loss of 2-CH₃ and 4-C₂H₅ groups potential, respectively) were measured by using the electron impact method. The ionization and appearance potential for [M–CH₃]⁺ are always lower for the isomers with the axial 2-CH₃ group. For the C-2 epimers, the difference between the appearance potentials for the [M–CH₃]⁺ ion values is likely to be equal to the enthalpy differences between the ground states of the epimers and the dissociation energy differences between the axial and equatorial C₂–CH₃ bonds. The appearance potentials for [M–C₂H₅]⁺ for the C-4 epimers possessing the 4-C₂H₅ group were very similar. At the same time, the appearance potentials for the [M–CH₃]⁺ ions were lower for less stable epimers which had an axial 4-C₂H₅ group.     

Mass spectra and stereochemistry of alkylsubstituted 2,2-diphenyl-1,3-dioxa-2-germacyclohexanes

The correlations between electron impact induced formation of fragment [M ? C₆H₆]⁺˙ from alkyl-substituted 2,2-diphenyl-1,3-dioxa-2-germacyclohexane (1) and the peculiarities of the molecular structures were found. Benzene elimination is regiospecific and stereoselective, resulting from the abstraction of an axial phenyl group and a hydrogen atom from the C-4 or C-6 position of the ring.     

The formation of the anilinium ion from the ammonium ion in the ammonia chemical ionization of substituted benzenes

Compounds C₆H₅X(X ? F, Cl, Br, NO₂, CN, OCH₃) have been studied under chemical ionization conditions with ammonia as reagent gas. A pulsed electron beam and time resolved ion collection has allowed the determination of the reaction leading to the formation of [C₆H₅NH₃]⁺ (m/z 94). [NH₄]⁺ reacts with C₆H₅X(X ? F, Cl, Br) to yield m/z 94 but C₆H₅X (X ? CN, NO₂) forms this ion only by reactions involving either [NH₃]⁺ or [C₆H₅X]⁺. C₆H₅OCH₃ does not form m/z 94.     

Metastable ion studies. IV—thermochemistry and ion structures among fragmenting [C3H6]+· ions

Metastable ion peak shapes, dimensions and relative abundances have been measured for the three fragmentations [C₃H₆]⁺· → [C₃H₄]⁺· + H₂, [C₃H₆]⁺· → [C₃H₅]⁺ + H· and [C₃H₆]⁺· → [C₃H₃]⁺ + H₂ + H·. [C₃H₆]⁺· ions were derived from propene, cyclopropane, tetrahydrofuran, cyclohexanone, 2-methyl but-1-ene and cis-pent-2-ene. Activation energies for these fragmentations have been evaluated. Three daughter ion dissociations ([C₃H₅]⁺ → [C₃H₃]⁺ + H₂, [C₃H₅]⁺ → [C₃H₄]⁺· + H· and [C₃H₄]⁺· → [C₃H₃]⁺ + H·) have been similarly examined. Ion structures have been determined and the metastable energy releases have been correlated with the thermochemical data. It is concluded that the molecular ions of propene and cyclopropane become structurally indistinguishable prior to fragmentation and that differences in their metastable ion characteristics can be ascribed wholly to internal energy differences; the latter can be correlated with the photoelectron spectra of the isomers. The pathway for the consecutive fragmentation which generates the metastable ion peak (m/e 42 → m/e.39) has been shown to be It is likewise concluded that fragmentating [C₃H₆]⁺· ions generated from the various precursor molecules are also structurally indistinguishable and cannot be classified with either molecular ion of the isomeric C₃H₆ hydrocarbons.     

Protonated Ethylene Carbonate: A Highly Resonance-Stabilized Cation

Salts containing the monoprotonated ethylene carbonate species of were obtained by reacting it with the superacidic systems XF/MF₅ (X=H, D; M=Sb, As). The salts in terms of [C₃H₅O₃]⁺[SbF₆]⁻, [C₃H₅O₃]⁺[AsF₆]⁻ and [C₃H₄DO₃]⁺[AsF₆]⁻ were characterized by low-temperature infrared and Raman spectroscopy. In order to generate the diprotonated species of ethylene carbonate, an excess of Lewis acid was used. However, this only led to the formation of [C₃H₅O₃]⁺[Sb₂F₁₁]⁻, which was characterized by a single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. Quantum chemical calculations on the B3LYP/aug-cc-PVTZ level of theory were carried out for the [C₃H₅O₃]⁺ cation and the results were compared with the experimental data. A Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis revealed sp² hybridization of each atom belonging to the CO₃ moiety, thus containing a remarkably delocalized 6π-electron system. The delocalization is confirmed by a ¹³C NMR-spectroscopic study of [C₃H₅O₃]⁺[SbF₆]⁻.     

Thermal Ethane Activation by Bare [V2O5]+ and [Nb2O5]+ Cluster Cations: on the Origin of Their Different Reactivities

The gas‐phase reactivity of [V₂O₅]⁺ and [Nb₂O₅]⁺ towards ethane has been investigated by means of mass spectrometry and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The two metal oxides give rise to the formation of quite different reaction products; for example, the direct room‐temperature conversions C₂H₆→C₂H₅OH or C₂H₆→CH₃CHO are brought about solely by [V₂O₅]⁺. In distinct contrast, for the couple [Nb₂O₅]⁺/C₂H₆, one observes only single and double hydrogen‐atom abstraction from the hydrocarbon. DFT calculations reveal that different modes of attack in the initial phase of C?H bond activation together with quite different bond‐dissociation energies of the M?O bonds cause the rather varying reactivities of [V₂O₅]⁺ and [Nb₂O₅]⁺ towards ethane. The gas‐phase generation of acetaldehyde from ethane by bare [V₂O₅]⁺ may provide mechanistic insight in the related vanadium‐catalyzed large‐scale process.