Mass spectra of 3-arylidene-1H-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones

The scheme of the fragmentation of arylidene derivatives of 5-phenyl-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones was established by means of high-resolution mass spectrometry. One of the principal fragmentation pathways of these compounds is cleavage of the 2C-3C and 4N-5C bonds to give two fragments. Depending on the substituents in the arylidene portion of the molecule, the charge is localized primarily on one or the other of these fragments. The mechanism of the formation of the [ArCH₂]⁺ ions observed in the mass spectra of all of the investigated compounds was established on the basis of the mass spectrum of the 1N-deuterium-labeled compound. The specific fragmentation pathways due to the ortho effect of the nitro group are discussed.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 12, pp. 1690–1696, December, 1976.