Fragmentation des δ-Dicetones,Analogies Avec le Comportement Photochimique

The mass spectra of thirty δ-diketones are reported. Their main pathways have been rationalized with the aid of deuterium labelling, metastable ions and high resolution mass measurements. Special attention has been given to ions resulting from the expulsion of neutral molecules such as water preceded, or followed by the loss of ethylene or alkenes. The expulsion may involve an intermediate cyclobutanol ion which would be analogous to the photochemical reaction observed by Yang.