Expulsion of the CHO radical from the molecular ion of homochromones

For some homochromones, it was confirmed by labelling C-9 with deuterium that the CHO radical expelled from the molecular ion contains either the methine hydrogen or one of the methylene hydrogens of the cyclopropane ring. The origin of the CO group in the expelled CHO radical was also inferred, and a plausible mechanistic interpretation is presented.