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For more information, please see full course syllabus of Organic Chemistry Lab
Organic Chemistry Lab Mass Spectrometry
Mass Spectrometry gives the molecular weight of different components of a molecule. It can be used in conjunction with Gas Chromatography (GC-MS) to identify the molecular masses of components of a mixture. Gaseous molecules are ionized with a beam of electrons. The radical cation then breaks apart into charged and uncharged segments of different molecular weights, with the most stable being the most common (common fragmentation patterns can be identified, like the McLafferty Rearrangement for carbonyls). The particles are then passed through a magnetic field which separates them based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). The biggest peak is called the “base peak” and set to a value of 100. Isotopes like Carbon-13 as well as Cl-35 and Cl-37 are important because the molecular masses are a weighted average of the isotopes. Examples in this lecture include chloroethane, bromobutane, hexane, ethers, alkenes, amines, and aromatic groups.
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1 answer
Thu Aug 4, 2016 4:37 PM
Post by Adel Althaqafy on August 3, 2016
Hi Dr
thank you for explain mass spectroscopy and do you have any articles that by PDF to read it or something is short like summarize about mass spectroscopy
many thanks
1 answer
Sun Oct 18, 2015 11:04 AM
Post by Jinhai Zhang on October 17, 2015
Prof. Starkey:
I have a question about the McLafferty mechanism should I use the double-headed arrow or single-headed arrow, because I google this, the web gives me a single headed arrow instead of double headed, and the mechanism is a little bit different from yours?
1 answer
Wed Sep 16, 2015 12:16 AM
Post by Tamrat Regasa on September 15, 2015
how can i sketch mass spectrum for 2 phenyl butane?
1 answer
Mon Jan 5, 2015 11:45 PM
Post by Rene Whitaker on January 5, 2015
I am still not understanding how you determine the M+ peak in chloroethane (at 20:52) and bromobutane, other than you know the compound you are looking at and so know at about what amu you should be looking at. For example, at 20:52, if you did not know the compound was chloroethane, how would you know the peak labeled at M+ is not the base peak (since it is at 100% relative abundance)?
1 answer
Sun Oct 26, 2014 12:53 AM
Post by Datevig Daghlian on October 24, 2014
Professor Starkey,
Thank you very much for your lectures! I am currently a high school student and have taken AP Chemistry and am very interested in O. Chemistry. Would you recommend I watch your lectures on O. Chemistry or should I hold off till I get to University Chemistry? Thank you!
George D.
3 answers
Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:07 AM
Post by Brandon West on September 9, 2014
Do you have a systematic way of doing mass spec like you have for HNMR and IR. I really like the systematic approach you have for HNMR. In my organic class my professor will give me all 3(HNMR or c13NMR, IR, and mass spec) and I will use all three to determine the structure.
1 answer
Thu Jul 17, 2014 4:17 PM
Post by Kim Tran on July 17, 2014
Professor Starkey, is there anyway I can open the lecture slides in powerpoint? Thank you
1 answer
Tue Mar 18, 2014 12:15 AM
Post by saima khwaja on March 17, 2014
Professor Starkey,
Do you do any lectures on Organometallic Compounds?
1 answer
Thu Feb 13, 2014 12:17 AM
Post by Jude Nawlo on February 12, 2014
Going back to the mass spectra of aromatic compounds section: If we see 91 amu on the MS, then do we assume that our compound has the "base" with the double bond on the CH2 or does it not matter, considering the benzylic resonance forms coexist? Awesome lecture, thank you again!
1 answer
Fri Jan 24, 2014 10:45 AM
Post by Udoka Ofoedu on January 24, 2014
You are the best . Thank God he brought me here
1 answer
Fri Oct 25, 2013 10:05 PM
Post by Saif Al-Wahaibi on October 25, 2013
For the McLafferty problem, where would the positive charge be in C4H8O so that it would be observed in the mass spectrometer?
1 answer
Wed Sep 11, 2013 11:05 AM
Post by Ramin Sadat on September 10, 2013
Thank you for the Mass Spectrometry lecture. I have been waiting for this! Very Helpful!