Tutorial 3
Mass Spectrometry
Fragmentation patterns II
Instrumental analysis II
Spring semester 2019
1
Objectives
By the end of this session, the student
should
be able to:
Describe Principles of fragmentation in
different organic classes.
Interpret mass spectrum and the major
peaks.
Compare between spectra of different
structural isomers.
2
Fragmentation of ethers
1- Homolytic cleavage Loss of neutral
fragment, this is a
very special
example
H2 -R
R C O R H2C O R
H H H H H
- CH3
H3C C O C CH3 H3C C O C CH3 CH3CHO
H3C C
CH3 CH3 CH3 CH3
m/z 102 m/z 87 m/z 43
2- Heterolytic cleavage
3
Fragmentation of Aldehyde
Homoloytic
acyl moiety
propene
4
Fragmentation of ketones
Similar to fragmentation patterns of aldehydes.
Homolytic cleavage and McLafferty re-arrangement are the most common
fragmentation patterns.
propene
5
Acids and Esters:
Homolytic fission
(like in ketones)
6
Amides
* Fragmentation is very similar to corresponding esters and acids
(homolytic cleavage ), m/z = 44 is very indicative of primary amides.
* Once the carbon chain in the acyl moiety of an amide becomes
long enough to permit the transfer of a hydrogen attached to the γ
position, McLafferty rearrangements become possible.
7
McLafferty type fragmentation in ethyl esters
Exercise 6: Comment on the mass spectra of the methyl butyrate
ester
Molecular
ion peak
8
Exercise 7: Predict the major fragmentation pattern of Butyric acid.
McLafferty type fragmentation
9
Exercise 8: Predict the major fragmentation pattern of the following
primary amide.
* For this primary amide, the McLafferty rearrangement gives
rise to a fragment ion peak at m/z = 59.
10
Exercise 9 (self study)
The mass spectra of 1-methoxybutane, 2-methoxybutane, and 2-
methoxy-2-methylpropane are shown below. Match the compounds
with the spectra.
2-methoxy-2-
methylpropane 2-methoxybutane
88
88
1-methoxybutane
88
11
12
Fragmentation of aromatic hydrocarbons
Benzene gives very intense molecular ion peak and rarely fragments.
Alkyl benzene usually fragments through benzylic or less commonly
phenyl cleavage.
Loss of neutral
Benzylic cleavage fragment
CH3 CH2
-H - C2H2
m/z 91 m/z 65
m/z 92 Cyclopentadinyl cation
H2 Tropylium cation
C
- CH2-CH3
H2C CH3
13
m/z 120
Phenyl cleavage
Loss of neutral
fragment
CH3
-CH3 - C2H2
m/z=77 m/z=51
Phenyl cation, C6H5+ CyclobutadieneC4H4+
The pairs of ions, m/z =91/65 , m/z = 77/51,
are typical of mono-substituted alkyl aromatics.
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Assignment 1 (5%)
Show the structure of all fragments (in blue) in the below spectrum of
di-sec-butyl ether
15
Due date : your next tutorial
QUIZ 1
Announcement
Quiz 1 takes place on Monday 18-2-2019 @3:15 to 3:45
(it includes lectures 1,2 and 3 + tutorial 1&2).
Types of Question: Match, complete, T/F, short essay
For exact location , see next slide.
NO MAKE UP QUIZ IS OFFERED AT THE END OF THE
SEMESTER ; IF YOU HAVE EITHER A CONFLICT OR AN
EMERGENY CASE , SEND ME AN EMAIL TO COMPENSATE
THE QUIZ AT THE SAME WEEK.
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Quiz location
H3 1-4
H4 5-8
H5 9-12
C7.01 13-16
C7.02 17-20
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