The mass spectra of some ortho-phenylene substituted trivalent organo-arsines and -phosphines

Abstract

An investigation of the mass spectra of a series of trivalent organoarsines and some of their phosphorus analogues of the general types, o-X-C₆H₄AsRR? [where X = CH₃, CH₂OCH₃, CH₂CH₂OCH₃, Br, Cl, CO₂H or CO₂CH₂CH₃ and RR? = (CH₃)₂, Cl₂ or CH₃(C₆H₅)] and o-X-C₆H₄CH₂AsRR? [where X = Br or Cl and RR? = (CH₃)₂, Cl₂, CH₃(C₆H₅), (C₆H₅)₂ or (p-CH₃C₆H₄)₂], has been carried out at 70 eV. The main fragmentation pathways have been determined and it has been shown that the ortho substituents direct the breakdown of the molecular ions to the formation of five-membered arsenic-containing ring systems. The general ortho coupling effect found in the substituted aromatic arsenic compounds discussed here is more pronounced than that observed in the spectra of symmetrical o- phenylenediarsines and related compounds of phosphorus and antimony.