The mass spectral fragmentation of 1a,3-disubstituted 4-benzoyl-1a,2,3,4- tetrahydrooxazirino

Abstract

The mass spectrometric behaviour of four 1a,3-disubstituted 4-benzoyl-1a,2,3,4-tetrahydrooxazirino[2,3-a][1,5]benzodiazepines has been studied with the aid of mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy spectrometry and accurate mass measurements under electron impact ionization. All compounds show a tendency to eliminate a neutral oxygen atom, or oxygen atom plus benzoyl or aryl radicals, or oxygen atom plus CO molecule to yield 2,3-dihydro-1H-1,5-benzodiazepine derivative ions, or 1-benzoyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-1,5-benzodiazepine ions, which could further lose benzoyl to give 2,3-dihydro-1H-1,5-benzodiazepine ions. All compounds also show a tendency to eliminate a benzoyl radical to produce 1a,2,3,4-tetrahydrooxazirino[2,3-a][1,5]benzodiazepine ions. Both oxazirino[2,3-a][1,5]benzodiazepine ions and 2,3-dihydro-1H-1,5-benzodiazepine ions can undergo diazepine ring contraction rearrangement to yield benzimidazole ions by loss of propene or styrenes and other small fragments. The oxazirino[2,3-a][1,5]benzodiazepine ions [M(+)-PhCO] also undergo rearrangement reactions to form benzoxazole ions and benzimidazole ions. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.