Mass Spectrometric Analysis: Aliphatic Amines

Abstract

The mass spectra of saturated aliphatic amines may be correlated with structural features. The molecular ion of amines decreases sharply with increasing molecular weight. Amines which are not substituted on the α-carbon atom undergo loss of the largest chain by simple β-bond cleavage to provide the most abundant ion in the spectrum. An alpha, beta with hydrogen rearrangement process leads to the most abundant ion in the spectra of the alpha-substituted amines. Other rearrangements are shown to occur. © 1962, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.