Mass Spectral Study of Tauotomerism in Some Schiff Bases

Mass spectra of a series of substituted salicylaldehyde and 2-hydroxy-naphthaldehyde Schiff bases were used to investigate enol-keto tautoraeric equilibrium. Two model compounds, namely, salicylidinaniline and naphthylidinequinolineamine Schiff bases were used to represent the enol and keto forms, respectively. Mass spectral measurements reveal the fragmentation pattern in all compounds studied. Only naphthylidinequinoline amine Schiff base show a different fragmentation pattern compared to the other Schiff bases in the series which give an evidence for its suggested keto structure.