On the formation of anisole from phenoxyacetamides

A major fragmentation route of N-t-butyl-N-isopropyl-and N-ethylphenoxyacetamide is the formation of C₇H₈O]⁺. Deuterium labeling implicates hydrogen transfer from nitrogen in all three species and from the t-butyl groups of the t-butylamide. The anisole structure is assigned to the C₇H₈O]⁺· ion on the basis of its secondary fragmentation.