Analytical application of ion-molecule reactions. Reactions of various substituted cyclopropane molecular ions with ammonia

By ion cyclotron resonance it is found that various substituted cy clopropanes after ionization react with ammonia to give products which allow identification of the degree and kind ofsubstitution on the cyclopropl ring. For example, cyclopropyle reacts to give [CH₂NH₂]⁺ (m/e 30), methylcyclopropane gives [CH₂NH₂]⁺ (m/e 30) and the ethyl substituted [CH(C₂H₃)NH₂]⁺ (m/e 44) and ethylopropane gives [CH₂NH₂]⁺ (m/e 30) and the ethyl substituted [CH(C₂H₅)NH₂]⁺ (m/e 58). It is suggested that reactions of stable molecular ions with reagent neutrals may be a source of highly specific structural information for organic compounds.