An electron impact study of the two isomeric tricarbonylchromium complexes of N-benzylideneaniline

Abstract

Under electron impact, the two isomers resulting from tricarbonylchromium complexation of N-benzylideneaniline decarbonylate completely before the chromium-ring bond is broken and the azomethine ligand undergoes further fragmentation. The loss of two CO molecules is favored over the competitive process involving elimination of a single CO molecule, especially at high ionizing voltage. In both cases the highly stable benzylideneanilinechromium cations decompose primarily through fission of the metal-ring bond, although additional fragmentation pathways of minor importance are also observed. The decay patterns of the benzylideneaniline ligand cation are identical in the spectra of both complexes and very nearly coincide with that shown by benzylideneaniline itself under the same conditions of electron impact.