Mass spectrometry: XI—Electron impact induced fragmentation of some amides of F-acids and their deuterated homologues

The mass spectrometry of perfluoro compounds (F-alkyl compounds) has seldom been the subject of systematic studies. Fluorocarbons excepted, only a few mass spectra of such compounds have been analysed and corresponding fragmentations correlated. In this paper we report the mass spectra of 19 amides of perfluoro acids (R_FCONHR) with R=benzyl, 2-phenylethyl, 2-phenylpropyl, 3-phenylpropyl, 2-(N-phenylamino)ethyl, and R_F=F-methyl, n-perfluoropropyl, n-perfluoropentyl and n-perfluoroheptyl. These compounds exhibit quite different behaviour from their hydrocarbon homologues under electron impact (for instance no R_FCO]⁺ fragment was found). Specific deuterium labelling and high resolution measurements have been used to show typical rearrangements and to establish the fragmentation routes.