Studies on the mass spectrometry of some acyclic nuclear substituted styryl ketoximes and ketones with special reference to the ortho effect

Abstract

The mass spectra of several ring substituted acyclic styryl ketoximes and analogous ketones have been determined at 70 eV and also at low ionization voltages. The major fragmentation pathways for the oximes are loss of the ortho substituent from the parent ion as well as loss of the hydroxyl and hydroxylamine radicals. Other fragmentation pathways include γ- and δ-cleavages as well as the McLafferty rearrangement. While there was a total absence of α-cleavage from the parent ions, the facility of loss of the ortho substituents from the oxime molecular ions was compared with the same process occurring in the corresponding acyclic ketones, as well as the related cyclic derivatives, namely the substituted 2-benzylidinecyclohexanones and oximes. Stabilization of the resultant cyclized ion as well as steric factors are considered as factors favouring the cyclization process.