Mass Spectrometry and Organic Analysis, part 14. The photolysis and mass spectra of medium and large ring ketones from C9 to C16

The photolysis of cyclic ketones from C9 to C16 has been carried out, and formation of cyclobutanols observed in only C11 to C16. Although in the mass spectrometer cyclobutanols are not formed, an initial transfer of a γ-hydrogen atom to the carbonyl group is shown to occur in the mass spectra of all cyclic ketones higher than C10.