Mass spectral fragmentation aldehydes

An example of how information from fragmentation patterns can be used to solve structural problems is given in Worked Example 12.1. This example is a simple one, but the principles used are broadly applicable for organic structure determination by mass spectrometry. We ll see in the next section and in later chapters that specific functional groups, such as alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, and amines, show specific kinds of mass spectral fragmentations that can be interpreted to provide structural information. 

We ll see in the next section and in later chapters that specific fiinctional groups, such as alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, and amines, show specific kinds of mass spectral fragmentations that can be interpreted to provide structural information. 

Mass spectral fragmentation of aldehydes and ketones provides structural information... 

Fig. 11.4. Electron ionization mass spectrum of nonanal. Unlike the previous example (toluene, Fig. 11.3), this 9-carbon alkyl aldehyde displays extensive fragmentation and a very low abundance molecular ion at mlz 142. The extensive degree of fragmentation exhibited by many compounds under El conditions makes manual interpretation complex and tedious. Consequently, computerized searches of spectral libraries find extensive use in compound identification.

The premise is to utilise a liquid film to provide a reaction environment which can be dynamically controlled in terms of heat and mass flux (influx/effiux) and to complement this with the on-line monitoring technique of Atmospheric Pressure chemical Ionisation (APcI)-Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry (ITMS). This technique allows the flux of protonated molecular ions (Mlf to be directly monitored (mass spectral dimension 1) and to fragment these species under tailored conditions within the ion trap (Collision Induced Dissociation (CID),mass spectral dimension 2), to produce fragment ions representative of the parent ion. This capability is central to allowing species with a common molecular weight to be quantified, for example butan-2,3-dione (MW=86 MH =87, glucose degradation product) and 3-methylbutanal (MW=86 MH =87, Strecker aldehyde from leucine). 

The NO+ ion, an ionic reagent often used in SIFT-MS instrument, is used to distinguish several isobaric aldehydes and ketones. The ionic reaction of NO tends to lead to more fragmentation and the formation of complex that provides a specific mass spectral characteristics to discriminate between aldehyde and ketone molecules [8]. 

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