Mass spectral fragmentation pathways in 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene derived from a MS/MS unimolecular and collisionally activated dissociation study

The fragmentation pathways of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene have been examined using ¹⁵N and ²H isotopic labelling in conjunction with tandem mass spectrometry. Both the unimolecular and collisionally activated decomposition modes were investigated. Fragmentation pathways were established in both modes and isotopic shifts were used to determine the groups lost. The major pathways include the loss of OH or H₂O, followed by the subsequent loss of NO or NO₂. There is virtually no ring disintegration until the majority of the attached groups are lost.     

Synthesis of fused indoles from 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene

4,6-Dinitro-1-tosylindoline prepared from trinitrotoluene undergoes base-catalyzed condensation with aromatic aldehydes. With salicylaldehyde and 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1-carbaldehyde, the condensation is accompanied by intramolecular nucleophilic substitution for one of the nitro groups to give benzo- and naphthooxepino[4,3,2-cd]indoles, respectively.     

Electron impact fragmentation mechanisms of some cyclic esters with helical structures

The electron impact mass spectra of several cyclic esters with helical structures have been studied. Their fragmentation pathways were proposed and confirmed by mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) and high-resolution data. In general, the dominant fragmentation pathways in the spectra of these compounds originate from a alpha-cleavage with loss of a hydrogen or methyl group. The difference between hydrogen and methyl group loss greatly affects the subsequent fragmentations. Although, due to their helicity, these cyclic esters are optically active no stereo-related fragmentation pathway was observed. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Activation mechanisms of butyrylcholinesterase by 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, 3,3-dimethylbutyl-N-n-butylcarbamate, and 2-trimethylsilyl-ethyl-N-n-butylcarbamate

The goal of this work was to propose a possible mechanism for the butyrylcholinesterase activation by 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 3,3-dimethylbutyl-N-n-butylcarbamate (1), and 2-trimethylsilyl-ethyl-N-n-butylcarbamate (2). Kinetically, TNT, and compounds 1 and 2 were characterized as the nonessential activators of butyrylcholinesterase. TNT, and compounds 1 and 2 were hydrophobic compounds and were proposed to bind to the hydrophobic activator binding site, which was located outside the active site gorge of the enzyme. The conformational change from a normal active site gorge to a more accessible active site gorge of the enzyme was proposed after binding of TNT, and compounds 1 and 2 to the activator binding site of the enzyme. Therefore, TNT, and compounds 1 and 2 may act as the excess of butyrylcholine in the substrate activator for the butyrylcholinesterase catalyzed reactions.     

Electron impact fragmentation of some mixed cyclotetraphosphazenes

The electron impact fragmentations of some cyclotetraphosphazenes are reported and discussed. The major fragmentation path involves loss of two amine radicals and one chlorine radical in the series P₄N₄Cl_8-n(NMe₂)_n when n=2, and subsequent stages involve a ring contraction process with elimination of a P = N fragment, when n = 5 loss of amine radicals predominates on statistical grounds with little evidence of ring contraction. In the series P₄N₄F_8-n(NMe₂)_n fragmentation is dominated by loss of amino radicals when n = 4 and loss of fluorine radicals predominates on statistical grounds when n = 2. In the series P₄N₄F_8-nX_n (n = 2 or 4, X = Cl or Br), when n = 2 and X = Br the major fragmentation path is the loss of two bromine radicals, whereas when X = Cl the more favoured path is the loss of two chlorine radicals. In both, subsequent stages involve ring contraction reactions with elimination of a PN fragment. When n = 4 and X = Br or Cl on bond energy grounds the more favoured fragmentation pattern is the loss of bromine or chlorine radicals, respectively.     

Electron impact fragmentation of size-selected krypton clusters

Clusters of krypton are generated in a supersonic expansion and size selected by deflection from a helium target beam. By measuring angular distributions for different fragment masses and time-of-flight distributions for fixed deflection angles and fragment masses, the complete fragmentation patterns for electron impact ionization at 70 eV are obtained from the dimer to the heptamer. For each of the neutral Kr(n) clusters studied, the main fragment is the monomer Kr(+) ion with a probability f(n)(1) > 90%. The probability of observing dimer Kr(2)(+) ions is much smaller than expected for each initial cluster size. The trimer ion Kr(3)(+) appears first from the neutral Kr(5), and its fraction increases with increasing neutral cluster size n, but is always much smaller than that of the monomer or dimer. For neutral Kr(7), all possible ion fragments are observed, but the monomer still represents 90% of the overall probability and fragments with n > 3 contribute less than 1% of the total. Aspects of the Kr(n) cluster ionization process and the experimental measurements are discussed to provide possible reasons for the surprisingly high probability of observing fragmentation to the Kr(+) monomer ion.     

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.     

Electron impact fragmentation of 2-arylhydrazonopropandioic acid derivatives

Examination of the mass spectra of eleven 2-arylhydrazonopropandioic acid derivatives reveals that a radical ion which is tentatively formulated as a 1H-diazirine species is produced in each case (except for the diphenyl este) by more than one process. Formation of what is formally the aryl amine radical ion occurs by a novel hydrogen rearrangement. Simple cleavage of the bonds β to either the aromatic ring or the C?N moiety also produces abundant ions. The diphenyl ester behaves anomalously yielding the phenol ion instead of the amine. The proposed mechanisms were confirmed by metastable studies, deuterium labelling and exact mass measurements.     

Electron impact fragmentation of some cyclohexyl thiophosphororganic amides

This paper presents the mass spectra, fragmentation pathways and structures of ions obtained by electron impact from methyl cyclohexyl phosphinomorpholinylamidothioate (1), cyclohexyl phosphonomorpholinylamidochloridothioate (2), cyclohexyl morpholinylamidophosphonothioic acid (3) and O-methyl cyclohexyl phosphonomorpholinylamidothioate (4). The fragmentation pathways and ion structures were established by exact mass determinations on compound 1 and by metastable transitions of all the compounds.     

Electron impact ion fragmentation pathways of peracetylated C‐glycoside ketones derived from cyclic 1,3‐diketones

Monosaccharide C‐glycoside ketones have been synthesized by aqueous‐based Knoevenagel condensation of isotopically labeled and unlabeled aldoses with cyclic diketones, 5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3‐cyclohexanedione (dimedone) and 1,3‐cyclohexanedione (1,3‐CHD). The reaction products and their corresponding acetylated analogs produce characteristic molecular adduct ions by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS). Analysis of the peracetylated C‐glycosides by electron ionization (EI) gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) revealed diagnostic fragment ions that have been used to deduce the EI fragmentation pathways and the structure of each C‐glycoside ketone. Characteristic gluco‐ and ribo‐specific ions were observed at m/z 350 and 278, respectively. Ions common to both carbohydrate fragmentation pathways were observed at m/z 193 and 169 for the dimedone‐C‐glycosides, and m/z 165 and 141 for the 1,3‐CHD‐C‐glycosides. Ions with m/z 169 and 141 retain the anomeric carbon (carbon‐1) of the original sugar, while m/z 193 and 165 are shown to retain carbons‐1, 2, and 3. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Carbohydrate pyrolysis mechanisms from isotopic labeling: Part 1: The pyrolysis of glycerin: Discovery of competing fragmentation mechanisms affording acetaldehyde and formaldehyde and the implications for carbohydrate pyrolysis

The flash pyrolysis of glycerin was investigated by the use of isotopic labeling with ¹³C, in conjunction with GC/MS analysis of the products. The formation of acetaldehyde and acrolein was shown to occur by unimolecular reaction. Acetaldehyde was found to be produced by at least two competing mechanisms. Mechanism “A” delivered C-2 of glycerin to the carbonyl group of acetaldehyde, whereas mechanism “B” delivered C-2 of glycerin to the methyl group of acetaldehyde. Formaldehyde was exclusively derived from C-1 or C-3 by either mechanism. The partition between the two mechanistic paths was found to be influenced by the presence of potassium salts and acids, but not by the presence of benzoyl peroxide or galvanoxyl. Mechanism “A” is postulated to be a concerted cyclic version of the Grob Fragmentation, proceeding through an intermediate which is hydrogen-bonded between the 1- and 3-hydroxyl groups to simultaneously generate enol-acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and H₂O. Mechanism “B” as favored by the presence of alkali is postulated to involve hydrogen-bonding between adjacent hydroxyl groups and to be an alkaline version of the pinacol rearrangement followed by retro-aldol fragmentation of the intermediary 3-oxopropoxide anion. These mechanistic classes are both fundamentally important, not only for their effect on glycerin, but for being able to provide numerous means of initial pyrolytic carbon–carbon bond breakage along carbohydrate carbon-chains, given the numerous 1,2,3-triol interactions that are possible. Further nomenclature is introduced to refine the distinctions among isotopomers and isotopologs (ipsomer, ipsolog, naturalomer, “nominal” isotopolog, ubiquilog), as extensions of a concept previously adopted by IUPAC.     

Carbohydrate pyrolysis mechanisms from isotopic labeling: Part 1: The pyrolysis of glycerin: Discovery of competing fragmentation mechanisms affording acetaldehyde and formaldehyde and the implications for carbohydrate pyrolysis

The flash pyrolysis of glycerin was investigated by the use of isotopic labeling with ¹³C, in conjunction with GC/MS analysis of the products. The formation of acetaldehyde and acrolein was shown to occur by unimolecular reaction. Acetaldehyde was found to be produced by at least two competing mechanisms. Mechanism “A” delivered C-2 of glycerin to the carbonyl group of acetaldehyde, whereas mechanism “B” delivered C-2 of glycerin to the methyl group of acetaldehyde. Formaldehyde was exclusively derived from C-1 or C-3 by either mechanism. The partition between the two mechanistic paths was found to be influenced by the presence of potassium salts and acids, but not by the presence of benzoyl peroxide or galvanoxyl. Mechanism “A” is postulated to be a concerted cyclic version of the Grob Fragmentation, proceeding through an intermediate which is hydrogen-bonded between the 1- and 3-hydroxyl groups to simultaneously generate enol-acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and H₂O. Mechanism “B” as favored by the presence of alkali is postulated to involve hydrogen-bonding between adjacent hydroxyl groups and to be an alkaline version of the pinacol rearrangement followed by retro-aldol fragmentation of the intermediary 3-oxopropoxide anion. These mechanistic classes are both fundamentally important, not only for their effect on glycerin, but for being able to provide numerous means of initial pyrolytic carbon–carbon bond breakage along carbohydrate carbon-chains, given the numerous 1,2,3-triol interactions that are possible. Further nomenclature is introduced to refine the distinctions among isotopomers and isotopologs (ipsomer, ipsolog, naturalomer, “nominal” isotopolog, ubiquilog), as extensions of a concept previously adopted by IUPAC.     

Regioselectivity of partial chemical and electroreduction of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene

Partial electroreduction of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene yields 4-hydroxylamine-2,6-dinitrotoluene and 2-hydroxylamine-4, 6-dinitrotoluene in a ratio of about 3 : 1. Similar regioselectivity occurs in the reduction of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene by ions Ti³⁺ and V²⁺, yielding isomeric dinitrotoluidines.     

Thermal decomposition of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in melt and solutions

Thermal decomposition of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in the temperature range from 200 to 340 °C in melt and in solutions was studied. The main features of the process (high initial rates, activation energies lower than those in the gaseous phase, a higher acceleration at the catalytic stage, and the effect of nonpolar solvents on initial rates) are explained in terms of a kinetic scheme corresponding to a degenerate branched chain reaction.Translated fromIzyestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 266–271, February, 1995.     

Electron emission from naphthacene crystal due to the impact of argon and krypton metastable atoms

Energy distributions of electrons emitted from polycrystalline naphthacene due to the impact of metastable argon or krypton atoms were measured. The energy distribution peaks, except for large peaks appearing near zero eV, correspond to the kinetic energies estimated from photoelectron spectra on the assumption that the excitation energies of the metastable atoms are transferred to the electrons in the valence bands. The results are interpreted as the occurrence of Penning ionization (Auger de-excitation) on the naphthacene surface.