Β-cleavage

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-001155",
  "term": "Β-cleavage",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definition": "A fragmentation reaction in mass spectrometry where a bond breaks that is located beta (β) to a radical site or a heteroatom with a lone pair of electrons. This process results in the formation of a new radical and a stable molecule or ion. The β-cleavage mechanism is a common pathway for the fragmentation of organic molecules, particularly in electron ionization mass spectrometry, and is often observed in alcohols, ethers, and amines.",
  "subject": "Analytical Chemistry",
  "see_also": [
    "functional group",
    "α-cleavage"
  ],
  "references": [
    "Orange Book, 2nd ed., p. 207 (https://media.iupac.org/publications/analytical_compendium/)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/b-cleavage/"
}