Phenolic-iodine Redox Products: Mass Spectrometry,Thermal and Other Physico-chemical Methods of Analyses

Three interesting new compounds formed as a result of phenols-iodine redox reactions were investigated by mass spectral fragmentation (MS) and thermal analyses (TA) as well as some other physicochemical methods as microanalysis and infra-red spectroscopy to elucidate their structures. The characterization of the compounds was satisfactorily achieved by using the above analytical tools and their proposed general formulae, were found to be C₂₄H₁₅O₈I (PC-IO ₃ ^– ), C₂₄H₁₄O₁₂ I₂ (PG-IO ₃ ^– ) and C₁₂H₈O₆I₂ (PG-IO ₄ ^– ).The fragmentation pathways of PC-IO ₃ ^– , PG-IO ₃ ^– and PG-IO ₄ ^– have been examined using electron ionization (EI) mass spectrometry in comparison with thermal analyses (TG and DTA). Both decomposition modes were investigated, and the fragmentation pathways were suggested. The combined application of mass spectrometry and thermogravimetry (MS and TG) in the analysis of the products allowed the characterization of the fragmentation pathway in MS.The major pathway in both techniques of PC-IO ₃ ^– is due to the loss of CHO followed by CH₃I+2H₂O. It is due to the loss of 2H₂O followed by the loss of 2CH₃I for PG-IO ₃ ^– . While for PG-IO ₃ ^– it is related to the loss of 2H₂O followed by loss of 2CH₃I molecule stepwise. Different stabilities for initial products and some fragments are discussed.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.