Ion–molecule reactions in the binary mixture of acetaldehyde and trioxane. II. Mechanism for the reaction of acetaldehyde molecular ion with trioxane

Abstract

The ionic reaction of CH3CHO+with trioxane in acetaldehyde–trioxane mixtures has been studied using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The product ions, C3H5O2+, C3H6O2+, and C3H7O2+, were formed by condensation–elimination reactions, which involve the elimination of aformaldehyde molecule. The dissociation of the intermediate-complex, CH3CHO(CH2O)3+*, leads to the formation of the product ions. The structure of the complex is linear with localized positive charge. Rearrangement of hydrogen atoms occurs in the complex but not extensive scrambling. From the distribution of the isotopic product ions in acetaldehyde-d4–trioxane mixtures it was proposed that the origins of the product ions are the acetaldehyde molecule (reactant ion) and fragments from trioxane. The rate constants for the product ions formed in acetaldehyde (or acetaldehyde-d4)–trioxane mixtures were obtained.