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.     

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.     

Determination of the collisionally activated dissociation of a substituted indole by orthogonal acceleration quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The use of orthogonal acceleration quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometry to determine the collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) of a test compound 1-(3-[5-[1,2,4-triazol-4-yl]-1H-indol-3-yl]propyl)-4-(2-[3-fluorophenyl]ethyl)piperazine is described. At unit-mass resolution the identity of many ions is ambiguous because of the complexity of the resulting product ion spectrum. Using the high resolution capabilities of the Q-TOF instrument, exact masses for each fragment were determined. These data were used to infer molecular formulas for each fragment through software interpretation and, by further applying chemical intuition, the majority of ions were fully assigned. Additionally, by utilizing in-source fragmentation at high cone voltage, analyses of second-generation products allowed derivation of a consistent sequential fragmentation pathway. This study clearly demonstrates the power of Q-TOF mass spectrometry to elucidate complex product ion spectra.     

Photodissociation of gaseous [C4H5N]+˙ ions

The photodissociation of [C₄H₅N]⁺˙ ions generated by ionization of pyrrole (1), allyl cyanide (2), crotonitrile (3), cyclopropyl cyanide (4) and methacrylonitrile (5) has been studied using ion beam techniques. At least four different stable ion structures have been distinguished, which is in contrast to earlier CAD studies. In addition it has been shown that [C₂H₃N]⁺˙ fragment ions formed by dissociative ionization of the same precursors have structures which are distinct from that of ionized acetonitrile.     

Structure determination of [C3H3N2]+ ions,formed from monosubstituted pyrazoles C3H3N2R,by collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry

[C₃H₃N₂]⁺ ions have been generated under electron impact conditions from some monosubstituted pyrazoles C₃H₃N₂R. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra of deuterium-labelled precursors suggest that the majority of the [C₃H₃N₂]⁺ ions formed from 1-nitro- and 4-bromo-pyrazole retain their cyclic structure, whereas the ions from 3(5)-bromopyrazole are mainly linear. This is confirmed by the relative values observed for the overall cross-sections for CID and for ion loss. An isotope effect of the order of 1.5–1.9 has been found for the collision-induced loss of H^˙ from [C₃H₃N₂]⁺, generated from 3(5)- and 4-bromopyrazole.     

The [C5H8]+˙ radical cation: Structural studies by energy-resolved mass spectrometry

Control of the degree of collisional excitation of an ion can be achieved by varying the collision energy or the number of collisions. The former experiment yields a series of daughter spectra which is analogous to a breakdown curve and which serves to characterize the ion undergoing collisionally activated dissociation (CAD). Recognition of differences in the spectra between isomeric ions is facilitated if the curves obtained from the energy-resolved data are considered in pairs and their differences are plotted. This procedure serves to demonstrate that ionized 1,3- and 1,4-pentadiene are structurally distinct, even though they are not distinguishable in conventional CAD. 2-Pentyne and 3-octyne give [C₅H₈]⁺˙ fragment ions which are closely related to the 1,3- and 1,4-pentadiene structures, respectively. Any particular ion can be characterized by another form of difference spectrum: one comparing data at two collision pressures each taken over a range of collision energies. This procedure yields conclusions regarding ion structure which match those reached from the energy-resolved experiments.     

A mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry investigation of the nature of [C10H10]+˙, [C9H7]+ and [C10H8]+˙ gas phase ions

Additional evidence for the rearrangement of the 1- and 3-phenylcyclobutene radical cations, their corresponding ring-opened 1,3-butadiene ions and 1,2-dihydronaphthalene radical cations to methylindenetype ions has been obtained for the decomposing ions by mass analysed ion kinetic energy spectroscopy (MIKES). The nature of the [C₉H₇]⁺ and [C₁₀H₈]^+˙ daughter ions arising from the electron ionization induced fragmentation of these [C₁₀H₁₀]^+˙ precursors has been investigated by collisionally activated dissociation (CAD), collisional ionization and ion kinetic energy spectroscopy. The [C₉H₇]⁺ produced from the various C₁₀H₁₀ hydrocarbons are of identical structure or an identical mixture of interconverting structures. These ions are similar in nature to the [C₉H₇]⁺ generated from indene by low energy electron ionization. The [C₁₀H₈]^+˙ ions also possess a common structure, which is presumably that of the maphthalene radical cation.     

Arrhenius parameters for the reactions CH3. + C4H10 → CH4 + C4H9. and C2H5. + C4H10 → C2H6 + C4H9.

Study of n-butane pyrolysis at high temperature in a flow system allows measurement of the sum of the rate constants of the initiation reactions and of the Arrhenius parameters of the reactions Established data for k₁/k₂ allow estimation of k₁ for 951°K and this, with recent thermochemical data, yields the result log k_?1 (l.mole s^?1) = 8.5, in remarkable agreement with a recent measurement [20] but over si×ty times smaller than conventional assumption. The product k₃k₄ (l.²mole^?2s^?2) is found to be associated with the Arrhenius parameters log (A₃A₄) = 21.90 ± 0.6 and (E₃ + E₄) = 38.3 ± 2.7 kcal/mole. These values are much higher than would be e×pected on the basis of low temperature estimates. Independent evaluation gives log A₄ = 10.5 ± 0.4 (l.mole^?1s^?1) and E₄ = 20.1 ± 1.7 kcal/mole, hence log A₃ = 11.4 ± 0.8 (l.mole^?1s^?1) and E₃ = 18.2 ± 3.2 kcal/mole. These values are shown to be entirely consistent with a wide range of results from pyrolytic studies, and it is argued that they further confirm the view that Arrhenius plots for alkyl radical–alkane metathetical reactions are strongly curved, in part due to tunneling and, appreciably, to other as yet unidentified effects. Since there is published evidence that metathetical reactions involving hydrogen atoms show even greater curvature, it is suggested that this may be a characteristic of many metathetical reactions.     

Structure of gas phase [C5H6]+˙ ions

Charge-stripping spectra have been used to differentiate ionized cyclopentadiene from its acyclic isomers. The minimum amounts of translational energy lost during the charge-stripping processes and the relative charge-stripping efficiencies, which are also structurally important parameters, have been measured for these ionic species. [C₅H₆]⁺˙ ions, formed by dissociative ionization of various precursors in the ion source are found, usually, to be a mixture of cyclic and acyclic ions. In contrast, [C₅H₆]⁺˙ ions, derived from the dissociation of metastable molecular ions from a series of organic compounds, have the cyclopentadienyl structure. This structure was confirmed by collision-induced dissociation of ions formed in the first field-free region of a triple sector mass spectrometer.     

1,2-Carbon shifts in [C4H8O]+˙ and [C5H10O]+˙ ions

Present results demonstrate that α,β-shifts of the functional group carbon strongly dominate β,α-methyl shifts in [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ and [C₅H₁₀O]⁺˙ ions, paralleling observations of others on methyl isobutyrate ions.     

Characterization of and energy deposition in [C2H4O2]+˙ ions using energy-resolved mass spectrometry

Energy-resolved mass spectrometry (ERMS) has been used to distinguish [C₂H₄O₂]⁺˙ ions generated from seven precursor molecules. The low collision energy ERMS data confirm conclusions reached from previous high-energy experiments; all seven ions have different structures or mixtures of structures. Structural distinctions are at least as easy to make using the two-dimensional ERMS data as through collisional activation at high energy. The average internal energy deposited in low-energy collisions (30 eV) is shown to be similar to the internal energy deposited at 8 keV in these systems.     

Charge stripping mass spectra: A method for identifying isomeric [C5H8]+˙ and [C3H6]+˙ ions

Charge stripping (collisional ionization) mass spectra are reported for isomeric [C₅H₈]⁺˙ and [C₃H₆]⁺˙ ions. The results provide the first method for adequately quantitatively determining the structures and abundances of these species when they are generated as daughter ions. Thus, loss of H₂O from the molecular ions of cyclopentanol and pentanal is shown to produce mixtures of ionized penta-1,3- and -1,4-dienes. Pent-1-en-3-ol generates [penta-1,3-diene]⁺˙. [C₃H₆]⁺˙ ions from ionized butane, methylpropane and 2-methylpropan-1-ol are shown to have the [propene]⁺˙ structure, whereas [cyclopropane]⁺˙ is produced from ionized tetrahydrofuran, penta-1,3-diene and pent-1-yne.     

Kinetics of the reaction C2H5 + HO2 by time-resolved mass spectrometry

The overall rate constant for the radical-radical reaction C2H5 + HO2 --> products has been determined at room temperature by means of time-resolved mass spectrometry using a laser photolysis/flow reactor combination. Excimer laser photolysis of gas mixtures containing ethane, hydrogen peroxide, and oxalyl chloride was employed to generate controlled concentrations of C2H5 and HO2 radicals by the fast H abstraction reactions of the primary radicals Cl and OH with C2H6 and H2O2, respectively. By careful adjustments of the radical precursor concentrations, the title reaction could be measured under almost pseudo-first-order conditions with the concentration of HO2 in large excess over that of C2H5. From detailed numerical simulations of the measured concentration-time profiles of C2H5 and HO2, the overall rate constant for the reaction was found to be k1(293 K) = (3.1 +/- 1.0) x 10(13) cm3 mol(-1) s(-1). C2H5O could be confirmed as a direct reaction product.     

Structure of [C3H5O]+ ions produced from unimolecular decomposition of several [C4H8O]+˙ metastable ions

It is demonstrated by means of collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) that [C₃H₅O]⁺ originating from metastable [C₄H₈O]^+˙ ions are either acylium [C₂H₅CO]⁺ (a) or hydroxycarbenium [CH₂CHCHOH]⁺ (b). Butanone gives exclusively a but 2-methyl-2-propen-1-ol, 2-buten-1-ol, 3-buten-1-ol, butanal and 2-methylpropanal lead to ion b. Both structures a and b are produced from 3-buten-2-ol. These results are discussed in conjunction with experimental and calculated (MINDO/3) thermodynamic data.     

The decompositions of metastable [C4H8O]+˙ ions and the [C4H8O]+˙ potential surface

Collisionally activated decomposition (CA) spectra of [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions and the products of their metastable decompositions are used to refine a previously presented picture of the reactions of [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions. Metastable [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ isomers predominantly rearrange to the 2-butanone ion and decompose by loss of methyl and ethyl, although up to 38% of the methyl losses take place by other pathways to form \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm{CH}}_{\rm{2}} = {\rm{CHCH = }}\mathop {\rm{O}}\limits^{\rm{ + }} {\rm{H}}{\rm{.}} $\end{document} . The CA spectra of many of the [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions with the oxygen on the first carbon are very similar, consistent with those ions isomerizing largely to common structures before or after collision. However, several of these ions have unique CA spectra, so they must remain structurally distinct from the majority of the [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions below energies required for decomposition. The CA spectra of ions with the oxygen on the second carbon are distinct from those of ions with the oxygen on the first carbon, so there is limited interconversion of the non-decomposing forms of the two types of ions. A potential energy diagram for the reactions of metastable [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions is constructed from appearance energy measurements. As would be expected, the relative importances of most of the [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ isomerizations seem to be inversely related to the activation energies for those processes. Some parallels between the isomerizations of [C₄H₈O]⁺˙ ions and those of related ions are pointed out.     

Photodissociation of gaseous [C5H8]+˙ ions

Photodissociation permits the distinction of four isomeric [C₅H₈]^+˙ ions (ionized 2-pentyne, 1,2-pentadiene, 1,3-pentadiene and cyclopentene) which cannot be identified via collisional activation spectrometry. Both the relative cross-section for photodissociation and the relative abundance of the photodissociated fragments can be used to characterize the ion structure. Furthermore, upper and lower limits for the barrier for interconversion between 1,3-pentadiene and the other isomers can be determined.     

A study of the structures of decomposing and non-decomposing [C4H5N]+˙ ions formed from different neutral species

[C₄H₅N]^+˙ ions have been generated from eleven neutral species. From a study of their metastable transitions and the translational energy released in the fragmentation in which C₂H₂ is lost, it is concluded that [C₄H₅N]^+˙ ions with sufficient energy to decompose do so from a common structure or mixture of structures when they are generated from crotonitrile, allyl cyanide, cyclopropyl cyanide, methacrylontrile, pyrrole, 2-, 3- and 4-hydroxypyridines and 2-aminopyridine. The [C₄H₅N]^+˙ ions formed from allyl isocyanide decompose from a different structure and those given by cyclopropyl isocyanide appear to decompose from a mixture of the two structures. Non-decomposing [C₄H₅N]^+˙ ions were investigated by means of their collision induced decomposition spectra using a B/E linked scan. Six different structures or mixtures of structures are suggested to explain these observations.