Charge migration in the molecular ions of isoxazole derivatives

The effect of charge migration in the molecular ion on the dissociative ionization of isoxazole derivatives was examined. It is shown that charge redistribution between the substituent in the 3 position and the oxygen atom of the heteroring precedes isomerization of the molecular ion and its disintegration. The intensity of the peaks of the RCO⁺ ions in the mass spectra of 5-R-3-arylisoxazoles increases as the acceptor effect of the aryl substituent becomes stronger. It is shown that the average internal energy with which the nitrobenzoyl ions are formed decreases as the probability of their formation increases, i.e., as the intensity of charge migration from the aryl substituent to the oxygen atom increases.