Chemical ionization and high resolution electron impact mass spectra of 5,6-dihydro-2-methyl-1,4-oxathiin-3-carboxanilide and three of its metabolites.

The electron impact and the hydrogen and methane chemical ionization mass spectra of 5,6-dihydro-2-methyl-1,4-oxathin-3-carboxanilide, the sulfoxide and sulfone derived therefrom, and 2-(2-hydroxyethylthio)-acetoacetanilide enol have been determined. All four compounds show abundant molecular ions in the electron impact spectra and abundant [MH]+ ions in the methane chemical ionization spectra (along with the expected [M + C2H5]+ and [M + C3H5]+ ions), but relatively low [MH]+ ion signals in the hydrogen chemical ionization spectra. From high resolution mass measurements and metastable transitions determined by metastable ion refocusing, electron impact fragmentation mechanisms have been established. For 5,6-dihydro-2-methyl-1,4-oxathiin-3-carboxanilide, 5,6-dihydro-2-methyl-1,4-oxathiin-3-carboxanilide-4-oxide and 5,6-dihydro-2-methyl-1,4-oxathiin-3-carboxanilide-4,4-dioxide the major fragmentation mode involves loss of the anilino radical from [M]+, followed by loss of C2H4. Fragmentation to form the aniline molecular ion increases in importance with increasing oxidation state of the sulfur. In the chemical ionization of these three compounds fragmentation of [MH]+ proceeds in a similar fashion by loss of neutral aniline and by formation of protonated aniline. The electron impact mass spectrum of 2-(2-hydroxyethylthio)acetoacetanilide is dominated by the molecular ion and the aniline molecular ion. However, in the chemical ionization mass spectra characteristic fragment ions involving loss of water and loss of aniline from [MH]+, as well as protonated aniline, are observed and serve to characterize the compound.