MASS-SPECTROMETRIC LOCATION OF DOUBLE-BONDS IN UNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS INCLUDING CONJUGATED ACIDS AS THEIR METHOXYBROMO DERIVATIVES

Methoxybromo derivatives of unsaturated fatty acids including conjugated acids yield simple mass spectra and can be used to locate the position of double bonds in these acids. The derivatives are prepared under mild conditions by bromination of the unsaturated fatty acids in methanol. The method is illustrated with the methoxybromo derivatives from methyl esters of oleic, petroselenic, erucic, undecenoic, linoleic, linolenic, the conjugated diene acids from dehydrated castor oil, .alpha.-eleostearic, punicic and parinaric acids. Unlike other methods using methoxy derivatives, the methoxybromo derivatives yield fewer ions, the diagnostic peaks forming the most intense ions of the spectra. While unambiguous double bond location is possible with monoenoic acids and conjugated fatty acids, only the end carbon atoms of the unsaturation system in nonconjugated polyenoic acids is located. The characteristic appearance of fragments corresponding to [CH3(CH2)nCH(OMe)CH(Br)CH2-2H]+ and fragments 24 mass units higher than those which locate the end carbons in such fatty acids indicate a methylene-interrupted system of double bonds.