STRUCTURE OF ELECTRON IMPACT FRAGMENTS . C4H4O RADICAL CATION FROM 2-PYRONE

Prominent in the mass spectrum of 2-pyrone is an M – CO radical cation of controversial structure. The electron impact fragmentations of the four monodeuterio-2-pyrones have been studied and the distribution of deuterium among the various daughter cations has been measured. The observed deuterium distributions allow confident exclusion of a furan-like structure for the 2-pyrone M – CO radical cation. Other structural implications of the observed isotope distributions are considered. © 1968, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.