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Introduction to Mass SpectrometryExamples

Followingareexamplesofcompoundslistedbyfunctionalgroup,whichdemonstrate
patternswhichcanbeseeninmassspectraofcompoundsionizedbyelectronimpact
ionization.Theseexamplesdonotprovideinformationaboutthefragmentationmechanisms
thatcausethesepatterns.Additionalinformationcanbefoundinmassspectrometry
referencebooks.

Scrollthroughthispage,orusethislisttomovetoselectfunctionalgroups(QUIZ!
linksyoutoatutorialquizforthatfunctionalgroup):

AlcoholQUIZ! AmineQUIZ! EtherQUIZ!

AldehydeQUIZ! Aromatic HalideQUIZ!
AlkaneQUIZ! CarboxylicAcidQUIZ! KetoneQUIZ!
AmideQUIZ! EsterQUIZ! ReturntoCONTENTS

Alcohol:
Analcohol'smolecularionissmallornonexistent.CleavageoftheCCbondnexttothe
oxygenusuallyoccurs.AlossofH2Omayoccurasinthespectrabelow.

3Pentanol
C5H12O
MW=88.15

Aldehyde
Cleavageofbondsnexttothecarboxylgroupresultsinthelossofhydrogen(molecularion
less1)orthelossofCHO(molecularionless29).

3Phenyl2propenal
C9H8O
MW=132.16
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Alkane
Molecularionpeaksarepresent,possiblywithlowintensity.Thefragmentationpattern
containsclustersofpeaks14massunitsapart(whichrepresentlossof(CH2)nCH3).

Hexane
C6H14
MW=86.18

Amide
PrimaryamidesshowabasepeakduetotheMcLaffertyrearrangement.

3Methylbutyramide
C5H11NO
MW=101.15

Amine
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Molecularionpeakisanoddnumber.Alphacleavagedominatesaliphaticamines.

nButylamine
C4H11N
MW=73.13

Anotherexampleisasecondaryamineshownbelow.Again,themolecularionpeakisan
oddnumber.ThebasepeakisfromtheCCcleavageadjacenttotheCNbond.

nMethylbenzylamine
C8H11N
MW=121.18

Aromatic
Molecularionpeaksarestrongduetothestablestructure.

Naphthalene
C10H8
MW=128.17

CarboxylicAcid
Inshortchainacids,peaksduetothelossofOH(molecularionless17)andCOOH
(molecularionless45)areprominentduetocleavageofbondsnexttoC=O.
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2Butenoicacid
C4H6O2
MW=86.09

Ester
FragmentsappearduetobondcleavagenexttoC=O(alkoxygrouploss,OR)and
hydrogenrearrangements.

Ethylacetate
C4H8O2
MW=88.11

Ether
Fragmentationtendstooccuralphatotheoxygenatom(CCbondnexttotheoxygen).

Ethylmethylether
C3H8O
MW=60.10

Halide
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Thepresenceofchlorineorbromineatomsisusuallyrecognizablefromisotopicpeaks.

1Bromopropane
C3H7Br
MW=123.00

Ketone
MajorfragmentationpeaksresultfromcleavageoftheCCbondsadjacenttothecarbonyl.

4Heptanone
C7H14O
MW=114.19

ReturntoTOPOFPAGEReturntoCONTENTS

Ifyouhavecommentsorsuggestions,emailmeatbreci@u.arizona.edu

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