Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Fragmentation: In mass spectrometry, the process in which a molecular ion breaks into smaller ions, radicals, and/or neutral molecules.
 


Fragments









Analyte
Molecular ion
m/z = 88





+
 +CH3
m/z = 73
m/z = 15



CH3CH2CH2+
 +
m/z = 43
m/z= 45
Selected fragmentation pathways in the mass spectrum of pentan-2-ol.