Organosubstituted phosphazenes. Part 9. Mass spectra of phenyl-substituted chlorocyclophosphazenes

Abstract

Mass-spectral data for a series of phenylcyclotri-λ⁵-phosphazenes, N₃P₃Ph_nCl_6-n(n= 2–4 or 6), and isomeric tetrachlorotetraphenylcyclotetra-λ⁵-phosphazenes, N₄P₄Ph₄Cl₄, of known structure are reported and discussed. Particular attention has been directed to developing correlations between fragmentation pattern and structure. Differentiation of molecules with diphenyl-substituted phosphorus atoms and molecules with mixed phenyl- and chloro-substituted phosphorus atoms is most clearly demonstrated in the tendency of the former derivatives to exhibit loss of hydrogen atoms and for the latter to undergo ready loss of chlorine atoms. Rearrangements, especially in the tetrameric series, make structural assignments based on low-mass fragments unreliable. With the aid of these correlations, the structure of a trace product from the reaction of MgBrPh and N₄P₄Cl₈ has been assigned from the mass-spectral data.