Electron ionization-induced fragmentation of R2N2Fe2(CO)6 complexes with distinct geometries of the tetrahedral core: investigation of mu-1,2-(1,2-diaza-3-methylcyclopentane)diylbis(tricarbonyliron) and bis(mu2-acetophenoniminato)bis(tricarbonyliron)

Two binuclear bis(tricarbonyliron) title complexes with N(2)Fe(2) tetrahedral cores, 1 and 2, respectively, which show different molecular folding resulting from the appearance (in 1), and absence (in 2) of the N-N sigma-bond, were compared in terms of mass spectral fragmentation routes. A multipath fragmentation noted for the molecule 1 revealing internal stress contrasts with the single-route fragmentation of 2. The fragmentation paths resulting from the admixtures were defined and analyzed from the fragment ion B/E and parent ion B(2)/E linked scan spectra.