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]⁺˙.     

The structure of [C3H4N2]+· and [C5H5N2]+ ions formed from vinylimidazoles,studied by collisionally activated dissociation mass spectrometry

Mass spectra of the three isomeric vinylimidazoles have been compared and the structures of the fragment ions [C₃H₄N₂]^+· and [C₅H₅N₂]⁺ have been investigated by collisionally activated dissociation mass spectrometry. The greater part of the non-decomposing ions m/z 68 from 2-vinylimidazole and from 2-imidazolecarboxylic acid methyl ester, and a minor part of this ion formed from the free acid, all have the same structure: the imidazole ring system, with hydrogens at both nitrogen atoms but none at C(2). An analogous structure, with an ethyl group at C(2), is proposed for the m/z 93 ion from 2-vinylimidazole.     

Collision‐induced dissociation mass spectra of glucosinolate anions

Collision‐induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra of differently substituted glucosinolates were investigated under negative‐ion mode. Data obtained from several glucosinolates and their isotopologues (³⁴S and ²H) revealed that many peaks observed are independent of the nature of the substituent group. For example, all investigated glucosinolate anions fragment to produce a product ion observed at m/z 195 for the thioglucose anion, which further dissociates via an ion/neutral complex to give two peaks at m/z 75 and 119. The other product ions observed at m/z 80, 96 and 97 are characteristic for the sulfate moiety. The peaks at m/z 259 and 275 have been attributed previously to glucose 1‐sulfate anion and 1‐thioglucose 2‐sulfate anion, respectively. However, based on our tandem mass spectrometric experiments, we propose that the peak at m/z 275 represents the glucose 1‐thiosulfate anion. In addition to the common peaks, the spectrum of phenyl glucosinolate (β‐D ‐Glucopyranose, 1‐thio‐, 1‐[N‐(sulfooxy)benzenecarboximidate] shows a substituent‐group‐specific peak at m/z 152 for C₆H₅‐C(?NOH)S^?, the CID spectrum of which was indistinguishable from that of the anion of synthetic benzothiohydroxamic acid. Similarly, the m/z 201 peak in the spectrum of phenyl glucosinolate was attributed to C₆H₅‐C(?S)OSO₂^?. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of some isomeric [C8H6O]+˙ ions generated from phenyl substituted cyclic ketones using collisional activation

[C₈H₆O]⁺˙ ions with o-quinonoid ketene, benzocyclobutenone, phenyl ketene and benzofuran structures have been generated from various precursors. Their collisionally induced decompositions in both field free regions of a double focusing mass spectrometer with so-called reversed geometry have been studied using mass analysed ion kinetic energy scans and B/E linked scans. In both cases the abovementioned [C₈H₆O]⁺˙ structures can be distinguished–except the benzocyclobutenone ion which gives very similar spectra to the o-quinonoid ion–on the basis of the intensity ratios [m/z 77]/[m/z 76] and [m/z 104]/[m/z 102]. The stable [C₈H₆O]⁺˙ ions generated from the molecular ions of 7 -phenylbicyclo[3.1.1]heptan-6-one appear to have the phenyl ketene structure, as was suspected from previous kinetic energy release measurements.     

Metastable ion decomposition and collisional activation mass spectra of 1,2,3-triarylpropen-1-ones

Substituents have been found to have a marked influence on the metastable ion decompositions and collisionally activated (CA) fragmentations of the M⁺˙ ion of a number of 1,2,3-triarylpropen-1-ones. An attempt has been made to confirm the structures of the rearrangement ions, [C₁₄H₁₀]⁺˙, [C₁₃H₁₁]⁺˙, [C₁₃H₉]⁺ and [C₁₂H₈]⁺˙ by comparison of their CA spectra with those of the corresponding ions produced from reference compounds. The results imply that [C₁₄H₁₀]⁺˙ and the M⁺˙ ions of phenanthrene and diphenylacetylene have a common structure, [C₁₃H₉]⁺ and the fluorenyl cation have a common structure and [C₁₂H₈]⁺˙ and biphenylene molecular ion have a common structure. The available data indicate that the ion at m/z 167 consists of a mixture of structures, likely possibilities being diphenylmethyl, phenyltropylium and dihydrofluorenyl cations.     

Substituent effects in the mass spectra of diethyl phenyl phosphates

The mass spectra of diethyl phenyl phosphates show substituent effects with electron-donating groups favouring the molecular ion M⁺˙, and the [M? C₂H₄]⁺˙, [M – 2C₂H₄]⁺˙ and [XPhOH]⁺˙ ions. The [PO₃C₂H₆]⁺ (m/z 109) and [PO₃H₂]⁺ (m/z 81) ions are favoured by electron-withdrawing groups. Results suggest that the formation of the [XPhC₂H₃]⁺˙ ion involves rearrangement of C₂H₃ to the position ortho to the phosphate group. Ortho effects are also observed.     

Rearrangements in the molecular ion of o-(methyl-d3-thio)benzoic Acid: Comparison with o-methoxy-d3-benzoic acid

Hydrogen/deuterium exchange and rearrangements in the molecular ion of o-(methyl-d₃-thio)benzoic acid lead to fragment ions [M? OD]⁺ as well as [M? OH]⁺ and m/z 106 and 107, just as in the molecular ion of o-methoxybenzoic acid. However, the fragment ion m/z 108 has the composition C₆H₄S rather than C₆H₂D₃CO as it does in the case of o-methoxy-d₃-benzoic acid. By varing the repeller potential at 10 eV (and thus the residence time in the ion source), the corresponding fragments are seen to be formed more slowly from the methylthio acid than from the methoxy acid, which leads to the conclusion that H/D exchange between carboxyl and labelled methylthio is slower than it is between carboxyl and labelled methoxyl.     

Gas‐phase fluorine migration reactions in the radical cations of pentafluorosulfanylbenzene (Aryl―SF5) and benzenesulfonyl fluoride (Aryl―SO2F) derivatives and in the 2,5‐xylylfluoroiodonium ion

The gas‐phase reactions of Aryl―SF₅^·+ and Aryl―SO₂F^·+ have been studied with the electron ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Such reactions involve F‐atom migration from the S‐atom to the aryl group affording the product ion Aryl―F^·+ by subsequent expulsion of SF₄ or SO₂, respectively. Especially, the 4‐pentafluorosulfanylphenyl cation 4‐SF₅C₆H₄⁺ (m/z 203) from 4‐NO₂C₆H₄SF₅^·+ by loss of ·NO₂ could occur multiple F‐atom migration reactions to the product ion C₆H₄F₃⁺ (m/z 133) by loss of SF₂ in the MS/MS process. The gas‐phase reactions of 2,5‐xylylfluoroiodonium (pXyl―I⁺F, m/z 251) have also been studied using the electrospray tandem mass spectrometry, which involve a similar F‐atom migration process from the I‐atom to the aryl group giving the radical cation of 2‐fluoro‐p‐xylene (or its isomer 4‐fluoro‐m‐xylene, m/z 124) by reductive elimination of an iodine atom. All these gas‐phase F‐atom migration reactions from the heteroatom to the aryl group led to the aryl―F coupling product ions with a new formed C_Aryl―F bond. Density functional theory calculations were performed to shed light on the mechanisms of these reactions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Selenoketene (H2CCSe)+• and selenoketyl cumulene (HCCSe)+ ions and their neutral counterparts: a tandem mass spectrometric and computational study

Dissociative electron ionization (70eV) of selenophene (C₄H₄Se) generates m/z 106 ions of composition [H₂, C₂, ⁸⁰Se]^+? and m/z 105 ions of [H, C₂, ⁸⁰Se]⁺. From tandem mass spectrometric experiments, Density Functional Theory (DFT) and ab initio calculations, it is concluded that these ions have the structure of selenoketene H₂C?C?Se^+? (1a^+? )and selenoketyl HC?C?Se⁺ (2a⁺) ions respectively. The calculations predict that selenoketene ion 1a^+? is separated by high energy barriers from its isomers selenirene (H e)^+? 1b^+?, ethyne selenol (HCCSeH)^+? 1c^+?, (CCHSeH)^+? 1d^+? and (CCSeH₂)^+? 1e^+?. The selenoketyl ion 2a⁺ is separated by high barriers from its isomers (CCHSe)⁺ 2b⁺, and (CCSeH)⁺ 2c⁺. Neutralization‐reionization mass spectra (NRMS) of these structurally characterized ions confirmed that the corresponding neutral analogues, selenoketene H₂CCSe 1a and selenoketyl radical HCCSe 2a^? are stable in the rarefied gas phase. The relative, dissociation, and isomerization energies for selenoketene and selenoketyl ions and neutrals studied at B3LYP/6–31G(d,p) and G2/G2(MP2) levels are used to support and interpret the experimental results. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Temperature effect on the single and double hydrogen atom transfer reactions in o-, m-and p-toluic acid butyl esters

The temperature effect on the single and double hydrogen atom transfer reactions in o-, m- and p-toluic acid n-butyl esters and isobutyl esters has been investigated. For the meta and para isomers, the abundance of the m/z 137 ion [C₈H₉O₂]⁺ generated by a double hydrogen atom transfer reaction increases relative to the m/z 136 ion [C₈H₈O₂]⁺˙ generated by a single hydrogen atom transfer reaction upon lowering the temperature of the ionization chamber. On the other hand, the ratio of the peak abundances [137]⁺/[136]⁺ for the ortho isomers is nearly constant when the temperature is changed. It is shown that this is due to the difference between the appearance energies of the m/z 136 and m/z 137 ions.     

Characterization of the Retro-[3+2] Reaction of Protonated 2,3′-Bisindolylmethanes by Electrospray Ionization–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Twelve 2,3′-bisindolylmethanes with various substituents were investigated using electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry in positive ion mode. A retro-[3+2] reaction was observed in the collision-induced dissociation spectra of protonated 2,3′-bisindolylmethanes for the first time. The mechanism of retro-[3+2] reaction was concerted or stepwise. For the concerted pathway, carbon–carbon bonds of a protonated compound simultaneously cracked and the m/z 208 ion ([C₁₅H₁₀D₂N]⁺) was observed with hydrogen–deuterium exchange labeling. The stepwise pathway goes through 1,3-hydrogen migration twice and the m/z 208 ion ([C₁₅H₁₀D₂N]⁺) and m/z 207 ion ([C₁₅H₁₁DN]⁺) were detected with deuterium labeling. In the deuterium-labeled tandem mass spectrum for one compound, only the peak at m/z 208 was present at high abundance, suggesting that the concerted pathway is more likely. In addition, the substituents have no obvious trends on the ratios of the product intensity to the base intensity, further supporting the concerted pathway.     

A field ionization and collisionally activated dissociation/charge stripping study of some [C9H10]+˙ ions

The extent of isomerization of [C₉H₁₀]^+˙ ions, with lifetimes of approximately 10^?11 and 10^?6 s has been investigated using field ionization, collisionally activated dissociation and charge stripping techniques. The [C₉H₁₀]^+˙ ions which were investigated included the molecular ions of α-methylstyrene, β-methylstyrene, o-methylstyrene, m-methylstyrene, p-methylstyrene, indan, cyclopropylbenzene, allylbenzene and the product of water loss from 3-phenylpropanol. The field ionization spectra of all the C₉H₁₀ hydrocarbons were different indicating that isomerization to a common ion structure had not occurred to a measurable extent for ions with lifetimes of approximately 10^?11 s. Collisionally activated dissociation and charge stripping results indicated that most of the [C₉H₁₀]^+˙ ions continued to maintain unique ion structures (or mixtures of structures) at ion lifetimes of 10^?6 s. Possible exceptions are the [C₉H₁₀]^+˙ ions from allylbenzene and cyclopropylbenzene which gave indistinguishable collisionally activated dissociation and charge stripping spectra.     

Two competing fragmentation processes in dimethoxybenzenes depending on their positional isomers: Elimination of CH3 and CHnO (n = 1–3) and formation of methoxycyclopentadienyl and protonated phenol ions

All the metastable transitions observed above m/z 39 in the first field-free region were compared for the three positional isomers of dimethoxybenzene. The observed isomer-dependent fragmentation processes, in particular the formation and decomposition of the m/z 95 (C₆H₇O)⁺ ion, are discussed in terms of two competing fragmentations [elimination of CH₃ and CH_nO (n = 1–3) and formation of methoxycyclopentadienyl and protonated phenol ions] and the relative energies of several isomers of the C₆H₇O⁺ ion calculated with molecular orbital theory.     

A photo-ionization study of organosulfur ring compounds: Thiirane,thietane and tetrahydrothiophene

The gas phase heats of formation of several organosulfur cations were determined from thiirane, thietane and tetrahydrothiophene precursor molecules by photoionization mass spectrometry. Heats of formation at 0 K and 298 K are reported for the following ions: [H₂CS]^+˙, [H₃CS]⁺, [C₂H₃S]⁺, [C₂H₄S]^+˙, [C₃H₅S]⁺, [C₃H₆S]^+˙, [C₄H₇S]⁺ and [C₄H₈S]^+˙. The [C₄H₇S]⁺ (m/z 87), [C₂H₄S]^+˙ (m/z 60), [C₂H₃S]⁺ (m/z 59), [C₄H₇]⁺ (m/z 55), [C₄H₆]^+˙ (m/z 54) and [CH₂S]^+˙ (m/z 46) ions are produced from metastable tetrahydrothiophene ions at photon energies between 10.2 and 10.7 eV. Decay rates of internal energy selected parent ions to the m/z 60, 59, 55 and 54 fragments were measured by threshold photoelectron-photoion coincidence, the results of which are compared to statistical theory (RRKM/QET) calculations. The [C₂H₄S]^+˙ ion from tetrahydrothiophene is found to have the thioacetaldehyde structure. From the measured [C₂H₄S]^+˙ onset a ΔH = 50±8 kJ mol^?1 was calculated for the thioacetaldehyde molecule.     

Generation of gas‐phase sodiated arenes such as [(Na3(C6H4)+] from benzene dicarboxylate salts

Upon collision‐induced activation, gaseous sodium adducts generated by electrospray ionization of disodium salts of 1,2‐ 1,3‐, and 1,4‐benzene dicarboxylic acids (m/z 233) undergo an unprecedented expulsion of CO₂ by a rearrangement process to produce an ion of m/z 189 in which all three sodium atoms are retained. When isolated in a collision cell of a tandem‐in‐space mass spectrometer, and subjected to collision‐induced dissociation (CID), only the m/z 189 ions derived from the meta and para isomers underwent a further CO₂ loss to produce a peak at m/z 145 for a sodiated arene of formula (Na₃C₆H₄)⁺. This previously unreported m/z 145 ion, which is useful to differentiate meta and para benzene dicarboxylates from their ortho isomer, is in fact the sodium adduct of phenelenedisodium. Moreover, the m/z 189 ion from all three isomers readily expelled a sodium radical to produce a peak at m/z 166 for a radical cation [(^?C₆H₄CO₂Na₂)⁺], which then eliminated CO₂ to produce a peak at m/z 122 for the distonic cation (^?C₆H₄Na₂)⁺. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The substituent effect on the single and double hydrogen atom transfer reactions in para-substituted benzoic acid isobutyl esters

The substituent effect on the single and double hydrogen atom transfer reactions in para-substituted benzoic acid isobutyl esters has been investigated by electron impact mass spectrometry. Electron-donating substituents favour formation of the [M? C₄H₈]⁺˙ ion generated by single hydrogen atom transfer reaction (McLafferty rearrangement), whereas electron-withdrawing substituents favour formation of the [M? C₄H₇]⁺ ion generated by double hydrogen atom transfer reaction. In the case of the latter compounds, the m/z56 ([C₄H₈]⁺˙) ion, which is generated by single hydrogen atom transfer reaction with charge migration, is very intense, while in the former compounds, the m/z56 ion is very weak. These observations can be reasonably explained on thermochemical grounds based on the sum of the standard heats of formation of the fragments.     

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.     

The structures of [C5H5O]+ ions formed from isomers of nitrophenol in the gaseous phase

Translational energy release measurments on metastable ions are used in the comparison of the structures of isomeric ions. Metastable ions, m₂⁺, formed from m₁⁺ ions as the result of a high energy process in the ion source are compared with isomeric metastable ions formed as daughters from fragmentation of metastable m₁⁺ ions in a field. In the case of o-, m- and p-nitrophenol the structure of the [C₅H₅O]⁺ ions formed from [C₆H₅O]⁺ ions by these two independent methods is different as verified by comparison of the behaviour of [C₅H₅O]⁺ ions formed from several other compounds.     

Structure and formation of gaseous [C4H5O]+ Ions. II–Ions of the type HCC?\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm + } $\end{document}(OH)(CH3)

Loss of an alkyl group X? from acetylenic alcohols HC?C? CX(OH)(CH₃) and gas phase protonation of HC?C? CO? CH₃ are both shown to yield stable HC?C? \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm + } $\end{document}(OH)(CH₃) ions. Ions of this structure are unique among all other [C₄H₅O]⁺ isomers by having m/z 43 [C₂H₃O]⁺ as base peak in both the metastable ion and collisional activation spectra. It is concluded that the composite metastable peak for formation of m/z 43 corresponds to two distinct reaction profiles which lead to the same product ion, CH₃\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm + } $\end{document}?O, and neutral, HC?CH. It is further shown that the [C₄H₅O]⁺ ions from related alcohols (like HC?C? CH(OH)(CH₃)) which have an α-H atom available for isomerization into energy rich allenyl type molecular ions, consist of a second stable structure, H₂C?\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm + } $\end{document}? C(OH)?CH₂.     

Four isomers of [C3H8O]+˙ distinguished by collisional activation

Collisional activation of the molecular ions of 1-propanol, 2-propanol and methyl ethyl ether, and of the m/z 60 ion from 1,2-dimethoxyethane provides evidence for four distinct forms of [C₃H₈O]^+˙. Collision induced decompositions may be explained either by simple cleavages, by cyclic processes involving adjacent substituents, or by bicyclic processes of adjacent substituents. Evidence for a form of [C₃H₈O]^+˙ in which charge and radical site are separate is assembled from the spectra.