The McLafferty rearrangement is an organic reaction seen in mass spectrometry. A mass spectrometer breaks apart the molecule being studied. The molecule breaks apart in consistent ways that chemists can predict. Most of the time, a carbon-carbon bond breaks and the atoms do not jump across the break between the fragments. The McLafferty rearrangement is an example of a hydrogen atom jumping to the other fragment as a part of the process of the bond breaking. It happens in an organic molecule containing a keto-group.
McLafferty rearrangement
Questions and Answers
Q: What is the McLafferty rearrangement?
A: The McLafferty rearrangement is an organic reaction seen in mass spectrometry during which a hydrogen atom jumps to the other fragment as a part of the process of a carbon-carbon bond breaking.
Q: What is mass spectrometry?
A: Mass spectrometry is a technique that breaks apart molecules being studied and predicts the consistent ways in which the molecules will break apart.
Q: What happens in most cases when a molecule is broken apart in mass spectrometry?
A: In most cases, a carbon-carbon bond breaks and the atoms do not jump across the break between the fragments.
Q: When does the McLafferty rearrangement happen?
A: The McLafferty rearrangement happens in an organic molecule containing a keto-group.
Q: What is a keto-group?
A: A keto-group is a functional group in organic chemistry characterized by a carbonyl group (C=O) with a carbon atom attached to each side.
Q: What kind of bond breaks during the McLafferty rearrangement?
A: During the McLafferty rearrangement, a carbon-carbon bond breaks.
Q: How does the McLafferty rearrangement differ from most mass spectrometry reactions?
A: The McLafferty rearrangement is different from most mass spectrometry reactions because it involves a hydrogen atom jumping to the other fragment in addition to the carbon-carbon bond breaking.