Electron-impact ionization of mandelic acid and mandelic acid methyl ester as prototypes for the C6H5CH(OH)-X system:: ionization and appearance energies, activation energies and enthalpies of formation

Electron-impact ionization mass spectra, the decay of metastable ions, ionization and appearance energies and bond energies, as dissociation energies, are reported for mandelic acid (MA) and mandelic acid methyl ester (MAME). An ionization energy of 8.55 eV was obtained for both compounds. For the formation of C6H5+ ions, appearance energies of 14.25 eV or 14.40 eV were determined for MA or MAME, respectively. On the main fragmentation route from molecular ions to these C6H5+ ions, an activation energy of (1.1 +/- 0.1) eV in excess of the calculated total reaction enthalpy was found for the elimination of CO from the prominent C,H,01 ions to C6H7+ ions, involving the transfer of two H-atoms. The second (minor) fragmentation route via C7H6O+ ions resembles the benzaldehyde decomposition pathway and the individual steps were found to be near to their calculated thermochemical reaction enthalpies. Gas-phase enthalpies of formation of (-4.652 +/- 0.3eV) [equivalent to(-448.8 +/- 30)kJmol(-1)] for MA and (-4.243 +/- 0.3)eV [equivalent to(-409.4 +/- 30)kJmol-(1)] for MAME are derived, based on the appearance energy of their C7H7O+ ions at m/z 107 and the formation enthalpy adopted from protonated benzaldehyde. The results are compared with data for benzylalcohol.