The mass spectra of diastereomeric 2,4-disubstituted 1,3-dioxa-2-silacycloh
exanes are studied using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer-computer sys
tem. The stabilities of molecular ions and the intensity ratios of the peak
s of fragment ions formed by the loss of substituents at silicon in the mol
ecular ion are compared. The probabilities of specific fragmentation pathwa
ys depend on the orientation of substituents. A correlation is revealed bet
ween the retention times of stereoisomers in the chromatographic column and
their structures. The results can be used for identification of compounds
formed by condensation of diols with disubstituted silanes.