Question

In the mass spectrum of pentane, the presence of a peak with m/z = 29 is most likely to the detection of?

Answer 1

In the mass spectrum of pentane, the presence of a peak with m/z = 29 is most likely to be the detection of the pentane cation or pentyl radical (C5H11+ or C5H11•).

Step-by-step explanation:

In the mass spectrum of pentane, the presence of a peak with m/z = 29 is most likely to be the detection of the pentane cation or pentyl radical (C5H11+ or C5H11•). The peak at m/z = 29 represents the molecular ion peak, which is formed when the pentane molecule loses one electron. This peak is typically observed in mass spectra and helps identify the compound.

For example, the fragmentation pattern of pentane in mass spectrometry looks like this:

1. 
   
3. Pentane (C5H12) -> Pentane cation (C5H11+) + 1 electron
4. 
   
6. Pentane cation (C5H11+) -> Fragmentation products

Therefore, the presence of a peak at m/z = 29 in the mass spectrum of pentane indicates the detection of the pentane cation or pentyl radical.