Ethers of the type R1CH (CH3) 0R2 show a metastable peak for the loss of R'H in their mass spectra. Loss of C2H6D is the principal decomposition of metastable C2H&X (CDJOt. CH3, demonstrating that vinyl ether ions are formed by the metastable losses of alkanes. Thermochemical and orbital symmetry considerations support the hypothesis that the losses of alkanes occur from an electronically excited state of the ether ions. Other ether ions with ...
