Rearrangements in chemical ionization mass spectra

Positive chemical ionization triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry and ab initio computational studies of the multi-pathway fragmentation of phthalates

We report the first positive chemical ionization (PCI) fragmentation mechanisms of phthalates using triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry and ab initio computational studies using density functional theories (DFT). Methane PCI spectra showed abundant [M + H](+), together with [M + C(2)H(5)](+) and [M + C(3)H(5)](+). Fragmentation of [M + H](+), [M + C(2)H(5)](+) and [M + C(3)H(5)](+) involved characteristic ions at m/z 149, 177 and 189, assigned as protonated phthalic anhydride and an adduct of phthalic anhydride with C(2)H(5)(+) and C(3)H(5)(+), respectively. Fragmentation of these ions provided more structural information from the PCI spectra. A multi-pathway fragmentation was proposed for these ions leading to the protonated phthalic anhydride. DFT methods were used to calculate relative free energies and to determine structures of intermediate ions for these pathways. The first step of the fragmentation of [M + C(2)H(5)](+) and [M + C(3)H(5)](+) is the elimination of [R-H] from an ester group. The second ester group undergoes either a McLafferty rearrangement route or a neutral loss elimination of ROH. DFT calculations (B3LYP, B3PW91 and BPW91) using 6-311G(d,p) basis sets showed that McLafferty rearrangement of dibutyl, di(-n-octyl) and di(2-ethyl-n-hexyl) phthalates is an energetically more favorable pathway than loss of an alcohol moiety. Prominent ions in these pathways were confirmed with deuterium labeled phthalates.

Fragmentation of a non-ester pyrethroid insecticide by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

We elucidated the mechanism of fragmentation of ethophenprox (Mw = 376), a non-ester pyrethroid insecticide, in the presence of a proton, by using tandem mass spectrometry in combination with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization technique in positive-ion mode. When methanol or acetonitrile was used as a solvent, no protonated ethophenprox ion was observed in the mass spectra even at low cone voltage (10 V), at which solvent cluster ions can exist. Instead of the protonated ion, an unexpected m/z 359 ion was strongly observed under all conditions examined. The product ion spectrum of the m/z 359 ion obtained under low collision energy (20 eV) showed that this ion can be formed through structural rearrangement involving water loss mainly via the six-centered pathway in this system, although two pathways (five-centered and six-centered) to form the m/z 359 ion are suggested in the literature.

Intramolecular electrophilic aromatic substitution in gas-phase-protonated difunctional compounds containing one or two arylmethyl groups

A variety of dibenzyl esters and ethers undergo a rearrangement process upon isobutane chemical ionization and collision-induced dissociation of their MH(+) ions, whereby a new bond is formed between the two benzyl groups, giving rise to abundant [C(14)H(13)](+) (m/z 181) ions. This rearrangement has been explained as an intramolecular electrophilic substitution in the gas phase occurring in an ion-neutral complex formed by the cleavage of one of the benzyl-oxygen bonds. A similar highly efficient intramolecular electrophilic substitution takes place in di-alpha- and beta-naphthylmethyl adipates affording m/z 281 [C(22)H(17)](+) ions, but not in the sterically hindered di-9-anthracylmethyl adipate. An analogous efficient rearrangement occurs in benzyl alpha- and beta-naphthylmethylcyclohexane-1,4-dicarboxylates and in benzyl alpha- and beta-phenylethylcyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol ethers. The analogous rearrangement is much less efficient in benzylallyl, benzylpropargyl and benzyl-9-anthracylmethyl derivatives, even less in benzylisopropyl and benzylacetyl analogs, and it is absent in benzyltetrahydropyranyl derivatives. The distinctive behavior of the protonated difunctional benzyl derivatives is interpreted in terms of the energy requirements of the O-R bond heterolysis of the protonated functionalities, the ability of the neutral R' groups (non-dissociated from the oxygen atom) to play the role of the nucleophile in the intramolecular electrophilic substitution processes and the electrophilicity of the R(+) ions.

An intramolecular benzyl rearrangement of 1-(N-benzyloxycarbonylamino)alkylphosphonate diesters under electrospray ionization conditions

The mass spectrometric behavior of eleven 1-(N-benzyloxycarbonyl(Cbz)amino)alkylphosphonate diesters was studied under positive ion electrospray ionization (ESI) conditions. Their fragmentation pathways are depicted and supported by tandem mass spectrometry. Besides the common eliminations of ether, benzyl alcohol, phosphite and an ether plus benzyl alcohol from molecular ions, the title compounds show a tendency to undergo an interesting intramolecular benzyl rearrangement to yield benzylphosphonate ions. The fragmentation patterns do not depend on the substituent attached to the alpha-carbon atom.