6.9 Fragmentation of Hydrocarbons

There are two types of hydrocarbons that are analyzed with the GC-MS.  One is long chain hydrocarbons and the other is the hydrocarbon portion of molecules containing other functional groups.  Identifying the structure of these hydrocarbons can be difficult since rearrangements that are not easily explained are frequently observed.  It is especially important to utilize reference compounds and GC retention times whenever possible to confirm the identity of the compound.

©Dunnivant & Ginsbach, 2008