Fragmentation patterns spectrometry

Separation of families by merely increasing the resolution evidently can not be used when the two chemical families have the same molecular formula. This is particularly true for naphthenes and olefins of the formula, C H2 , which also happen to have very similar fragmentation patterns. Resolution of these two molecular types is one of the problems not yet solved by mass spectrometry, despite the efforts of numerous laboratories motivated by the refiner s major interest in being able to make the distinction. Olefins are in fact abundantly present in the products from conversion processes. 

Although GGMS is the most widely used ana lytical method that combines a chromatographic sep aration with the identification power of mass spectrometry it is not the only one Chemists have coupled mass spectrometers to most of the mstru ments that are used to separate mixtures Perhaps the ultimate is mass spectrometry/mass spectrome try (MS/MS) m which one mass spectrometer gener ates and separates the molecular ions of the components of a mixture and a second mass spec trometer examines their fragmentation patterns ... 

As we have just seen interpreting the fragmentation patterns m a mass spectrum m terms of a molecule s structural units makes mass spectrometry much more than just a tool for determining molecular weights Nevertheless even the molecular weight can provide more information than you might think... 

Fragmentation pattern (Section 13 22) In mass spectrometry the ions produced by dissociation of the molecular ion... 

Mass spectral fragmentation patterns of alkyl and phenyl hydantoins have been investigated by means of labeling techniques (28—30), and similar studies have also been carried out for thiohydantoins (31,32). In all cases, breakdown of the hydantoin ring occurs by a-ftssion at C-4 with concomitant loss of carbon monoxide and an isocyanate molecule. In the case of aryl derivatives, the ease of formation of Ar—NCO is related to the electronic properties of the aryl ring substituents (33). Mass spectrometry has been used for identification of the phenylthiohydantoin derivatives formed from amino acids during peptide sequence determination by the Edman method (34). 

The combined techniques of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (gc/ms) are highly effective in identifying the composition of various gc peaks. The individual peaks enter a mass spectrometer in which they are analyzed for parent ion and fragmentation patterns, and the individual components of certain resoles are completely resolved. 

Electron impact mass spectrometry has been employed to study the fragmentation patterns of isoxazolylmethyl- and bis(isoxazolylmethyl)-isoxazoles and the results are in agreement with proposed pathways (79AC(R)8l). Electron impact studies of nitrostyryl isoxazole (6) show fragmentation in a variety of ways. The standard loss of NO2 from the molecular ion... 

Molecular orbital calculations indicate that cyclo C-18 carbyne should be relatively stable and experimental evidence for cyclocarbynes has been found [25], Fig. 3B. Diederich et al [25] synthesised a precursor of cyclo C-18 and showed by laser flash heating and time-of flight mass spectrometry that a series of retro Diels-Alder reactions occurred leading to cyclo C-18 as the predominant fragmentation pattern. Diederich has also presented a fascinating review of possible cyclic all-carbon molecules and other carbon-rich nanometre-sized carbon networks that may be susceptible to synthesis using organic chemical techniques [26]. 

Understanding how molecules fragment upon electron impact pennits a mass spectrum to be analyzed in sufficient detail to deduce the structure of an unknown compound. Thousands of compounds of known structure have been examined by mass spectrometry, and the fragmentation patterns that characterize different classes are well documented. As various groups are covered in subsequent chapters, aspects of their fragmentation behavior under conditions of electron impact will be described. 

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. 

High performance spectroscopic methods, like FT-IR and NIR spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy are widely applied to identify non-destructively the specific fingerprint of an extract or check the stability of pure molecules or mixtures by the recognition of different functional groups. Generally, the infrared techniques are more frequently applied in food colorant analysis, as recently reviewed. Mass spectrometry is used as well, either coupled to HPLC for the detection of separated molecules or for the identification of a fingerprint based on fragmentation patterns. ... 

Mass spectrometry was applied in conjunction with thermolysis studies leading mainly to sulfines and rearranged products with four-membered sulfoxides and to a loss of sulfur dioxide with sulfones The fragmentation pattern of thietes under electron impact can be explained by the sequential loss of the elements of sulfur monoxide and oxygen from an intervening cyclic sulfmate intermediate . ... 

Mass spectrometry combines exquisite sensitivity with a precision that often depends more on the uncertainties of sampling and sample preparation than on those of the method itself. Mass spectrometry is a supreme identification and recognition method in polymer/additive analysis through highly accurate masses and fragmentation patterns quantitation is its weakness. Direct mass spectrometry of complex polymeric matrices is feasible, yet not often pursued. Solid probe ToF-MS (DI-HRMS) is a breakthrough. Where used routinely, mass spectrometrists are usually still in charge. At the same time, however, costs need to be watched. 

The question at this point was whether modifications could be made to the oxadiazole molecule to enhance metabolic stability and achieve comparable activity. This approach required knowledge of the site of metabolism and the nature of the metabolic products. This information was obtained from ion mass spectrometry. The identity of these products was determined by comparing the fragmentation pattern of metabolites A and B with the parent compound and the corresponding daughter ions (Fig. 25). 

Mass spectrometry (MS) in its various forms, and with various procedures for vaporization and ionization, contributes to the identification and characterization of complex species by their isotopomer pattern of the intact ions (usually cation) and by their fragmentation pattern. Upon ionization by the rough electron impact (El) the molecular peak often does not appear, in contrast to the more gentle field desorption (FD) or fast-atom bombardment (FAB) techniques. An even more gentle way is provided by the electrospray (ES) method, which allows all ionic species (optionally cationic or anionic) present in solution to be detected. Descriptions of ESMS and its application to selected problems are published 45-47 also a representative application of this method in a study of phosphine-mercury complexes in solution is reported.48... 

Al-Saad, K. A. Zabrouskov, V. Siems, W. F. Knowles, N. R. Hannan, R. M. Hill, H. H. Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of lipids ionization and prompt fragmentation patterns. Rapid Comm. Mass Spec-trom. 2003,17, 87-96. 

Table 5. Mass spectrometry fragmentation pattern of (z>)-penicillamine...

Mass spectrometry is used to identify unknown compounds by means of their fragmentation pattern after electron impact. This pattern provides structural information. Mixtures of compounds must be separated by chromatography beforehand, e.g. gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) because fragments of different compounds may be superposed, thus making spectral interpretation complicated or impossible. To obtain complementary information about complex mixtures as a whole, it may be advantageous to have only one peak for each compound that corresponds to its molecular mass ([M]+). Even for thermally labile, nonvolatile compounds, this can be achieved by so-called soft desorption/ionisation techniques that evaporate and ionise the analytes without fragmentation, e.g. matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). 

Substituted tetrazoles reacting in the mass spectrometer with acyl ions afforded 2,5-disubstituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles with nitrogen loss. Tandem mass spectrometry allowed for the collision-induced dissociation of the products. Chemical ionization was the better method to make the transformation. A scheme for the transformation of 5-substituted tetrazoles into 2,5-disubstituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles was proposed (Scheme 1) <2001JMP1069>. The fragmentation patterns of monocyclic l,3,4-oxadiazolium-2-thiolates have been proposed by Ollis and Ramsden <1974J(P1)645>. 

The proposed subsequent reaction fits the fragmentation patterns observed in mass spectrometry where, even at 20 eV, group 14 centered radicals form in increasing order Sibasic data of this kind can provide estimates of kinetic behavior of such reactions, where M—M bonds are cleaved by electrophiles and which depend on the ionization potentials of the former as well as the electron affinity of the latter. 

A fourth technique used for the characterization of molecules is mass spectrometry. It is included in this chapter because the structural information it provides is similar to that obtained from the other techniques although the principle is entirely different. It is a destructive method in which the fragmentation pattern of sample molecules is used to determine empirical formulae and molecular weights, and to identify structural features. 

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