Fragmentation of certain substituted azadispiro(5.1.5.2)pentadec‐9‐ene and azadispiro(4.1.4.2)tridec‐8‐ene derivatives under electron ionization

A study of the electron ionization mass spectra of certain azadispiro(5.1.5.2)pentadec-9-ene-7,15-diones and azadispiro(4.1.4.2)tridec-8-ene-6,13-diones and their derivatives has revealed that these molecules undergo fragmentation primarily by two routes, viz. loss of CO and elimination of the substituent on the pyrrolidine nitrogen. Under positive ionization conditions loss of CO is the predominant process in the diones as it releases the ring strain, while in the 6- or 7-ols loss of the substituent on nitrogen is the favoured pathway. The further decomposition pathways of these primary fragments [M — CO] + and [M — OR 3 ] + have been delineated with the help of high-resolution mass measurements, D 2 O exchange and metastable spectra, These compounds give very simple negative ion spectra showing only [M — OR 3 ] - and [NCO] - ions except the N-hydroxy compounds which show [M — H]- ions as well.