The mass spectra of compounds of the type (C6F5)4M (M = Si, Ge, Sn, and Pb) have been studied. Bond forming rearrangements were detected, involving fluorine abstraction by the central atom, forming perfluorophenylene ions and neutral metal fluoride species. The heavier metals give simpler spectra and fragmentation schemes. The bulk of the ion current is carried by fluorocarbon ions for the silicon derivative and by organometallic or metal fluoride ions in the other three cases, SnF+ and PbF+ forming the base peaks in their spectra. When M is carbon in the compounds (CGF5)3COH and (CGFS)ZCO, there is little evidence for rearrangements and transfer of fluorine to the central carbon atom.Canadian Journal of Chemistry, 47, 1613 (1969)
IntroductionThe mass spectra of some pentafluorophenyl derivatives of phosphorus, germanium, silicon, and phosphido-bridged iron carbonyls were shown to exhibit not only normal fragmentation, but also molecular rearrangements involving elimination of central atom-fluoride species formed by fluorine transfer, leaving perfluorophenylene type ions (1). King (2a,b) and Bruce (2c) also have established, by metastable ion analysis, the formation of neutral metal fluorides in mass suectra of a series of a h h a t i c and aromatic fluorocarbon derivatives of iron and cobalt. Similar results are also reported for manganese derivatives (3). Cave11 and Dobbie have reported on fragmentations and rearrangements for a series of trifluoromethyl derivatives of arsenic (4, 7) and phosphorus (5-7).In this paper the mass spectra of pentafluorophenyl derivatives of Group IV elements are discussed along with postulated mechanisms for the observed rearrangements.