Formation of · CH 2 CH 2 CO + and C 2 H 6 +· in the metastable decompositions of ionized ethyl formate

The products of the metastable decompositions of ionized ethyl formate (a) are characterized. The loss of water from a produces · CH 2 CH 2 CO + , a rarely reported product. Loss of H appears to produce CH 2 =CHC(OH)   2 + . The third decomposition is an unusual formation of C 2 H   6 + . This work demonstrates that a previous supposition that isomerization to different intermediates is involved in the losses of ethene and of water from a is correct.