Abstract
AbstractThe fragmentation of the dimethyl and diethyl esters of maleic and fumaric acids have been studied as a function of the internal energy of the molecular ions using charge exchange techniques and metastable ion studies in combination with isotopic labelling. The dimethyl ester molecular ions show distinctive behaviours at both low and high internal energies, indicating that interconversion of the molecular ions does not occur. The fumarate molecular ion fragments by elimination of CH2O and (CO2 + CH3) in the metastable ion time‐frame, while the maleate ester fragments primarily by loss of CH3O. At higher internal energies both molecular ions fragment primarily by loss of CH3O but the fragment ion from the maleate ester shows a greater stability, presumably because it assumes the cyclic cationated maleic anhydride structure. The diethyl maleate and diethyl fumarate molecular ions show identical metastable ion characteristics; in addition the [COS]+· charge exchange mass spectra are very similar. These results indicate that low‐energy molecular ions interconvert. At higher internal energies interconversion does not occur, and, although both moiecular ions fragment by loss of C2H5O, the resultsint fragment ions show different stabilities and fragmentation reactions.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have