Isomer-Dependent Threshold Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Dissociative Photoionization Mechanism of Anisaldehyde

We studied the threshold photoionization and dissociative ionization of para-, meta-, and ortho-anisaldehyde by photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy in the 8.20-19.00 eV photon energy range. Vertical ionization energies by equation of motion-ionization potential-coupled cluster singles and doubles (EOM-IP-CCSD) calculations reproduce the photoelectron spectral features in all three isomers. The dissociative photoionization (DPI) pathways of para- and meta-anisaldehyde are similar and differ markedly from those of ortho-anisaldehyde. In the para and meta isomers, the lowest-energy DPI channel corresponds to hydrogen atom loss to form the C8H7O2+ fragment at m/z 135, which undergoes sequential dissociation processes at higher energies, such as carbon monoxide loss to C7H7O+ (m/z 107) and further, sequential CH3, CH2O, and CH2CO losses to produce C6H4O+ (m/z 92), C6H5+ (m/z 77), and C5H5+ (m/z 65), respectively. Carbon monoxide loss from the parent ions, yielding C7H8O+ (m/z 108), is a subordinate dissociation channel parallel to H atom loss. At higher energies, it also gives rise to sequential formaldehyde (CH2O) loss to produce C6H6+ (m/z 78). In the ortho-anisaldehyde cation, the vicinity of the aldehyde and methoxy groups opens up low-energy hydrogen-transfer processes, which allow for seven fragmentation channels to compete effectively with the H- and CO-loss channels. Thus, the fragmentation mechanism changes considerably, thanks to the steric interaction of the substituents. Functional group interactions, in particular H transfer pathways, must therefore be considered when predicting the isomer-specific unimolecular decomposition mechanism of cationic and neutral species, as well as mass spectra for isomers.