Mass spectra of organometallic compounds—VIII. Some transition metal organometallic halide derivatives

The positive ion mass spectra of the transition metal organometallic halide derivatives C₅H₅M(CO)₃Cl(M ? Mo or W), C₇H₇W(CO)₂I, C₃H₅Fe(CO)₃I, C₃H₅PdCl]₂, and C₅H₅Mo(NO)I₂]₂ have been investigated. Further examples of the elimination of CO and C₂H₂ fragments were noted. In addition the following effects of particular interest were observed: (i) Evidence in the mass spectra of the chlorides for reactions with adventitious iodine and even bromine present in the mass spectrometer; (ii) Evidence for conversion of the compounds C₅H₅Mo(CO)₃X to the new halides C₅H₅Mo(CO)X]₂ upon pyrolysis; (iii) Evidence for facile losses of the π-allyl group, the iodine atom, and methyl iodide in the mass spectrum of the π-allyl derivative C₃H₅Fe(CO)₃I; (iv) Evidence for loss of iodine upon introducing C₅H₅Mo(NO)I₂]₂ into the mass spectrometer to give ions derived from C₅H₅Mo(NO)I]₂.