Mass spectra were investigated for the first time of four structural isomers of heterocycles, formerly inavailable 7-methyl-2-(methylsulfanyl)-3-(1-ethoxyethoxy)-4,5-dihydro-3H-azepine, 2,2-dimethyl-6-(methylsulfanyl)-5-(1-ethoxyethoxy)-2,3-dihydropyridine, 1-isopropyl-2-(methylsulfanyl)-3-(1-ethoxyethoxy)pyrrole, and N-isopropyl-N-methyl-3-(1-ethoxyethoxy)-2-thiophenamine prepared from a single linear precursor, adduct of α-lithiated 1-(1-ethoxyethoxy)allene and isopropyl isothiocyanate. All compounds formed a molecular ion (Irel 1–6%) whose primary fragmentation at the electron impact (70 eV) occurs in two principal directions related to the cleavage of the C-O bonds in the 1-ethoxyethoxy-substituent: with a simple rupture of the bonds C-OEt and C-O(heterocycle) and with the elimination of an ethoxyethene molecule. In the spectra of 4,5-dihydro-3H-azepine and 2,3-dihydropyridine the first fragmentation channel of [M]+· dominates. The second direction prevailes at the fragmentation of pyrrole and thiophene molecular ions leading to an odd-electrons ion with m/z 171. Further fragmentation of this ion is characteristic of each isomer and resulted in the formation of diagnostic ions providing a possibility of identification of these isomers by mass spectrometry.
