Abundant Fragment Ions Research Articles

Effect of metal cationization on the low-energy collision-induced dissociation of loganin, epi-loganin and ketologanin studied by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

The effect of alkali metal and silver cationization on the collision-induced dissociation (CID) of loganin (1), epi-loganin (2) and ketologanin (3) is discussed. Their protonated molecular ions fragment mainly by glycosidic cleavages. The epimeric pairs (1 and 2) show differences in the abundances of the resulting fragment ions. Lithium cationization induces new dissociation pathways such as the retro-Diels-Alder (RDA) fragmentation followed by rearrangement. Unlike the dissociation of protonated molecular ions, the dissociation of lithiated molecules also provides lithiated sugar fragments. The CID of dilithiated molecules is substantially different from that of the monolithiated precursors. RDA reaction appears to be favoured by the presence of the additional lithium atom in the molecule. In addition, other ring cleavages are also induced. The abundances of the various fragment ions are different in the CID spectra of the epimeric pairs. Extensive D labelling and (6)Li labelling experiments confirmed many of the ion structures proposed. The CID spectra of the sodiated ions are generally weaker, although similar to those of the corresponding lithiated species. Higher alkali metal ion (K(+), Rb(+) and Cs(+)) adducts generated only the corresponding metal ions as products of CID. Similar fragmentations were also observed in the CID of the [M + Ag](+) ions of these compounds, the epimeric pairs showing characteristic differences in their CID behaviour. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Electrospray ionization mass spectra of amino acid phosphoramidates of adenosine.

Amino acid phosphoramidates of adenosine were synthesized and determined by positive and negative ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) in conjunction with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The fragmentation pathways were investigated. In the positive ion mass spectra abundant characteristic fragment ions appeared, and many complementary ions were found. In the negative ion mass spectra only a few fragment ions were observed, and most of them contained phosphoryl groups. The results show that ESI-MS is a useful tool for structural determination of amino acid phosphoramidates of nucleosides.

Mass spectrometric study of persistent acid metabolites of nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants.

A mass spectrometric study was carried out on two nonylphenoxycarboxylic acids, NP1EC and NP2EC (where 1 and 2 indicate the number of ethoxylate units attached to the nonylphenoxy moiety), that are persistent metabolites of widely used nonionic surfactant nonylphenol ethoxylates. In a gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) study of the methyl esters of NP1EC and NP2EC, two series of fragment ions were observed in electron ionization (EI) mass spectra; m/z (179 + 14n, n = 0-7) and m/z (105 + 14n, n = 0-4) for NP1ECMe and m/z (223 + 14n, n = 0-7) and m/z (107 + 14n, n = 0-5) for NP2ECMe. Similarity indices were used to compare quantitatively the mass spectra of isomers. The mass spectra of two isomers were found to be similar whereas those of the remaining isomers were readily distinguishable from each other. The abundant fragment ions of the two NPECMes were investigated further by GC/MS/MS; product ions resulting from cleavage in the alkyl moiety, cleavage in the ECMe moiety and cleavage in both moieties were detected. Possible structures of the nonyl groups in the two esters were inferred. GC/chemical ionization (CI) mass spectra of the NPECMes with isobutane as reagent gas showed characteristic hydride ion-abstracted fragment ions shifted by 1 Da from those in the corresponding EI mass spectra. The sensitivity of a selected ion monitoring quantitation method for the NPECMes is enhanced under CI conditions compared with that under EI conditions. With electrospray ionization MS/MS, [M - H](-) ions of NP1EC (m/z 277) and NP2EC (m/z 321) were observed and, upon collision-induced dissociation of [M - H](-) of each of the two acids, fragment ions of m/z 219 corresponding to deprotonated nonylphenol, were observed in each case. Based on this observation, a rapid, simple and reliable selected product ion quantitation method is proposed for NP1EC and NP2EC.

Characterization of 3-methoxyflavones using fast-atom bombardment and collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry.

A mass spectrometric method based on the combined use of fast-atom bombardment (FAB), collision-induced dissociation (CID) and linked scanning at constant B/E has been used for the analysis of the fragmentation behavior of protonated 3-methoxyflavones (3-MFs). It is shown that several diagnostic ions such as (1,3)A (+) and (0,2)B (+) ions allow for an unambiguous localization of functions in the A- and B-rings and that the position of an additional methoxy group in the B-ring could be determined by a detailed analysis of the spectral patterns. Isomeric 3-MFs can be differentiated using this methodology. General fragmentation patterns of 3-MFs are discussed and plausible formation mechanisms of relatively abundant fragment ions are proposed.

Formation and characterization of iron–oligonucleotide complexes with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Iron-containing oligonucleotide negative ions can be generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization from a stainless steel target disk (by either defocusing the laser beam or by mixing iron salts such as FeCl3 with the matrix compound during the sample preparation). High resolution mass measurements reveal the presence of both Fe2+ (as M + Fe - 3H)- and Fe3+ (as M + Fe - 4H)- in the metal-oligonucleotide ions. The presence of Fe3+ is unexpected, and must involve replacement of protons from the nucleic bases or ribose groups as well as the phosphate groups of the oligonucleotides. Inspection of a range of small oligonucleotides and mononucleotides reveals that the presence of both Fe2+ and Fe3+ in the iron-biomolecule complexes is dependent on the number of acidic hydrogens that can be replaced in the oligonucleotide or nucleotide. Collisional dissociation of several metal-tetranucleotide ions revealed that the presence of the iron ion alters the fragmentation observed. The iron atom was observed to be present in all of the fragment ions, and, whenever possible, seemed to enhance the abundance of fragment ions containing both iron and a guanine nucleic base. These results suggest that iron may serve as a useful probe for characterizing phosphorylated biomolecules.

Electron impact mass spectra of 1a,3‐disubstituted 1,1‐dichloro‐1,1a,2,3‐tetrahydroazirino [2,1‐d][1,5]benzothiazepines

The mass spectrometric behaviour of eight 1a,3-disubstituted 1,1-dichloro-1,1a,2,3-tetrahydroazirino[2,1-d][1,5]benzothiazepines has been studied with the aid of mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy spectrometry and exact mass measurements under electron impact ionization. All compounds show a tendency to eliminate a chlorine radical from the aziridine ring and then eliminate a neutral propene or substituted/unsubstituted styrene from the thiazepine ring to yield 1,4-benzothiazine ions. They can also lose hydrogen chloride and a chlorine radical, or lose two chlorine atoms, to undergo a ring enlargement rearrangement to produce 1,6-benzothiazocine ions, which can further eliminate propyne or phenylacetylene, or small molecular fragments, to yield some abundant fragment ions. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Electron impact mass spectra of 1a,3-disubstituted 1,1-dichloro-1,1a, 2,3-tetrahydroazirino [2,1-d][1,5]benzothiazepines.

The mass spectrometric behaviour of eight 1a,3-disubstituted 1, 1-dichloro-1,1a,2,3-tetrahydroazirino[2,1-d][1,5]benzothiazepines has been studied with the aid of mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy spectrometry and exact mass measurements under electron impact ionization. All compounds show a tendency to eliminate a chlorine radical from the aziridine ring and then eliminate a neutral propene or substituted/unsubstituted styrene from the thiazepine ring to yield 1,4-benzothiazine ions. They can also lose hydrogen chloride and a chlorine radical, or lose two chlorine atoms, to undergo a ring enlargement rearrangement to produce 1,6-benzothiazocine ions, which can further eliminate propyne or phenylacetylene, or small molecular fragments, to yield some abundant fragment ions.

Mass spectral study of substituted allyl aryl and allyl alkyl selenides and some analogous sulfides

The electron impact (EI) mass spectra of allyl aryl selenides showed abundant molecular ions and many fragment ions containing the selenium atom. alpha-Cleavage is the dominant process in the fragmentation of selenides, and cleavage product ions are characteristic of the substituents. In the case of 3-methyl allyl and related aryl selenides, characteristic delta-hydrogen migration to the selenium atom is observed. A McLafferty-type rearrangement is found in benzyl allyl selenides and substituted alkyl allyl selenides. The charge on the rearrangement products preferably remains on the fragments containing the phenyl group. The [M - SeH](+), [M - CH(3)](+) and [M - C(2)H(4)](+) ions are found only in the EI mass spectrum of allyl phenyl selenide, and are attributed to a Claisen rearrangement in the source of the mass spectrometer. All structurally informative fragmentation processes are supported by collision induced dissociation spectra of molecular ions. The fragmentation patterns found in methane chemical ionization (CI) spectra of the selenides were significantly different from those observed in EI. The EI and CI mass spectra of analogous sulfides showed similar behaviour to that observed in the corresponding selenides. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mass spectral fragmentation patterns of 1a,3-diaryl-1,1,4, 4-tetrachloro-1a,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1H-azirino

The mass spectrometric behaviour of three 1a,3-diaryl-1,1,4, 4-tetrachloro-1a,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1H-azirino-[2,1-e][1, 6]benzothiazocines has been studied with the aid of mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy spectro--metry and exact mass measurements under electron impact ionization. All compounds show a tendency-to eliminate a neutral substituted/unsubstituted 1,1-dichlorostyrene from the eight-membered thiazocine ring to yield azirino[2,1-c][1, 4]benzothiazine ions, which can then lose a chlorine radical and a sulfur-atom to form azirino[2,1-c][1,4]benzothiazine ions and dihydroquinoline ions. All compounds could also eliminate a chlorine radical plus hydrogen chloride, stepwise or consecutively, to undergo a ring enlargement rearrangement to produce nine-membered 1, 7-benzothiazonine ions. The [M(+) - Cl] ions could undergo a four-membered ring rearrangement to yield 1,5-benzothiazepine ions by loss of 1,1-dichlorostyrene or styrene ions and HCl, and undergo alpha, alpha-cleavage to form benzothiazine ions by loss of arylchlorocyclopropane. The [M(+) - Cl - HCl] ions could further eliminate some atoms, small molecules or molecular fragments to form some abundant fragment ions. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Apparent Inhibition of Inosine Monophosphate Dehydrogenase by Mycophenolic Acid Glucuronide Is Attributable to the Presence of Trace Quantities of Mycophenolic Acid

Mycophenolic acid glucuronide, the primary metabolite of the immunosuppressive agent mycophenolic acid, affords weak inhibition of proliferating and resting lymphocytes and recombinant human inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase in comparison to the active drug. We evaluated the hypothesis that mycophenolic acid is a trace contaminant of the glucuronide metabolite preparation and that this accounts for the observed effects of mycophenolic acid glucuronide on human inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase catalytic activity both in lymphocytes and the pure enzyme. We used negative ion electrospray HPLC-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and HPLC-tandem MS (HPLC-MS-MS) to identify mycophenolic acid as a contaminant of mycophenolic acid glucuronide. Quantification of the mycophenolic acid contaminant was achieved using a negative ion electrospray HPLC-MS method in the selected-ion monitoring mode. Trace amounts of mycophenolic acid were detected and definitively identified in the mycophenolic acid glucuronide preparation by the HPLC-MS-MS analysis. In addition to having identical HPLC retention times, pure mycophenolic acid and the contaminant produced the following major fragments upon HPLC-MS-MS analysis: deprotonated molecular ion, m/z 319; and fragment ions, m/z 275, 243, 205, and 191 (the most abundant fragment ion). Using the negative ion electrospray HPLC-MS procedure in the selected-ion monitoring mode, the quantity of the contaminant mycophenolic acid was determined to be 0.312% +/- 0.0184% on a molar basis. These data provide strong support for the proposal that the apparent inhibition of the target enzyme inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase by mycophenolic acid glucuronide is attributable to the presence of trace amounts of contaminant mycophenolic acid.

Analysis of tetrapyrrolic pigments and derivatives in sediments by high performance liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

A new application is described of the on-line high-performance liquid chromatography/positive and negative ion atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (APCI(+/–)-MS) to the identification of tetrapyrrolic compounds in sediment samples containing complex mixtures of natural pigments and their diagenetic products. The method relies on the production of radical anions in order to determine the molecular masses of the molecules which yield abundant fragment ions when analyzed in the positive mode. This approach allows to verify the occurrence of coeluting components by examining their negative ion spectra and to complete their identification on the basis of their fragment ions produced in the positive ion spectra.

Surface-induced dissociation of singly and multiply protonated polypropylenamine dendrimers

The ease of fragmentation of various charge states of protonated polypropylenamine (POPAM) dendrimers is investigated by surface-induced dissociation. Investigated are the protonated diaminobutane propylenamines [DAB(PA)n] DAB(PA)8 (1+ and 2+), DAB(PA)16 (2+ and 3+), and DAB(PA)32 (3+ and 4+). These ions have been proposed to fragment by charge-directed intramolecular nucleophilic substitution (SNi) reactions. Differences in relative fragment ion abundances between charge states can be related to the occupation of different protonation sites. These positions can be rationalized based on estimates of Coulomb energies and gas-phase basicities of the protonation/fragmentation sites. The laboratory collision energies at which the fragment ion current is approximately 50% of the total ion current were found to increase with the size, but to be independent of charge state of the protonated POPAM dendrimers. It is suggested that intramolecular Coulomb repulsion within the multiply protonated POPAM dendrimers selected for activation does not readily result in easier fragmentation, which is in accordance with the proposed fragmentation mechanism.

Partitioning of kinetic energy to internal energy in the low energy collision-induced dissociations of proton-bound dimers of polypeptides

Abstract Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the proton-bound dimers of a set of pentapeptides (leucine enkephalin analogs) generated by electrospray ionization is studied as a function of collision energy under conditions of single collisions with argon. As the collision energy is increased, the abundances of the two protonated peptides become more similar, indicating an increase in internal energy deposition. The effective temperature ( T eff ) of the cluster ions is calculated by the kinetic method and found to increase approximately linearly with collision energy. Knowing the fragmentation thermochemistry, the ion internal energy is characterized using the kinetic method. The partitioning quotient for the conversion of laboratory kinetic energy into internal energy for these cluster ions is 2% to 5% in the 50 eV to 200 eV collision energy range. Average relative standard deviations of multiple measurements of partitioning quotients are around 15% and are mainly due to uncertainties in ion abundance ratios. Unimolecular dissociation Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus (RRKM) theory is used to calculate the relationship between the fragment ion abundance ratio and the total internal energy of the cluster ions. Comparison of these data with experiment allows the energy partitioning behavior to be characterized independently and more accurately. The partitioning quotient obtained in this way ranges from 2 ± 1.0% (uncertainty is the standard derivation of multiple measurements) to 5 ± 1.0%. These data are consistent with either an impulsive collisional activation mechanism or with collision complex formation.

Liquid Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry and Collision-induced Dissociation Mass Spectrometry of Sulfonamide Derivatives of meso-Tetraphenylporphyrin

Liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry (LSIMS) and collision-induced dissociation (CID) were used for the characterization of sulfonamide derivatives of meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP). The spectra obtained using LSIMS show abundant molecular ions and fragment ions from losses of the sulfonamide moieties. The main fragmentation observed in the LSI mass spectra and in the CID spectra of the protonated or cationized molecules involves the loss of one sulfonamide group. In addition, in the CID spectra of these compounds the fragment ions formed by the elimination of two, three and/or four sulfonamide groups are also observed. The CID spectra of the protonated or cationized molecules of these derivatives do not display the ions formed by the cleavage of the S - N bond which have been reported for other sulfonamide compounds. The LSI mass spectra and CID spectra of sulfonamide derivatives of meso-tetraphenylporphyrin provide an easy and reliable means of identification of the number and nature of sulfonamide groups in the porphyrinic ring.

Conformations of protonated gas-phase bradykinin ions: evidence for intramolecular hydrogen bonding.

The post-source decay of bradykinin, Lys1-bradykinin, des-Arg1-bradykinin, des-Arg9-bradykinin and [D-Phe7]-bradykinin [M + H]+ ions was examined in order to assertain the influence of secondary structure on peptide ion dissociation. Fragment ions corresponding to the elimination of H2O and HN=C=NH are observed in the product ion mass spectra of Lys1-bradykinin and des-Arg1-bradykinin but not in the spectra of bradykinin or des-Arg9-bradykinin. Cleavage reactions at the Phe-Ser and/or Ser-Pro bonds are observed for all peptide [M + H]+ ions with the exception of des-Arg9-bradykinin. The product ions arising from the processes described above are rationalized in terms of the intramolecular solvation of the protonated guanidino groups of the arginines. The strongest intramolecular interaction appears to be a proton bridge between the guanidino groups of the N- and C-terminal arginines in bradykinin. In addition, increased abundances of fragment ions in the vicinity of Ser-Pro may be attributed to intramolecular solvation of the protonated C-terminal guanidino group by the Ser-Pro portion of the molecule. This self-solvation of the ionizing proton leads to a gas-phase peptide conformation that is supported by solution-phase NMR studies at elevated temperatures and in non-polar solvents but which is different from the conformation in polar solvents.

Study of the mass spectral fragmentation processes in dinitroquinoxalines using tandem methodologies

Following electron ionization, the fragmentations of isomeric dinitroquinoxalines have been investigated making use of tandem mass spectrometry methodologies such as collisional activation (CA), various linked-scanning (LS) experiments, and mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) spectrometry. It was shown that, for the two ortho-dinitroquinoxalines 1 and 2, the most abundant fragment ion at m/z 116 is generated for 1 by successive losses of NO2•, CO, and NO•, whereas for 2, it is the result of two main competing fragmentation routes. The fragmentation of the meta-dinitroquinoxaline 3 differs significantly as an abundant and quite characteristic ion at m/z 127 is the result of consecutive eliminations of NO2• and HNO2. Substitution of the pyrazine ring (for example, compounds 4 and 5) or of the benzene ring (for example, compounds 6 and 7) strongly modifies the reactivity.

Negative-ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry of peptides derivatized with 4-aminonaphthalenesulphonic acid

The value of derivatizing peptides at the C-terminus with 4-aminonaphthalenesulphonic acid (ansa) to aid in the de novo sequencing of peptides by mass spectrometry was assessed. Negative-ion electrospray of peptides is enhanced by derivatization witb ansa. The derivatizing group also has the effect of increasing the mass of the peptides by 205 Da, often shifting their deprotonated molecules to regions of the mass spectrum with reduced chemical noise. Collision-induced dissociation of naphthalenesulphonated peptide [M-H] - ions results in abundant fragment ions formed by charge-remote fragmentations. The resulting fragmentation patterns are less complex than those of the underivatized analogues and are easier to interpret. Peptides were successfully derivatized at the low picomole level and sequenced on the hundred femtomole level using nano-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

Energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry of constitutional and stereo steroid isomers

Energy-resolved mass spectra were recorded by controlled up-front collision-induced dissociation (CID) or conventional CID tandem mass spectrometry. Differentiation between constitutional isomers and stereoisomers of hydroxysteroids was studied using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interfaced to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Relative abundances of fragment ions from mainly water loss were used. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Influence of stereoisomeric glucose, galactose and mannose residues on fragmentation at their glycosidic linkages in post-source decay fragment analyses for oligosaccharides using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The isomeric sugar branched beta-cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives (Glc-beta CD, Gal-beta CD, and Man-beta CD) were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. In the MALDI post-source decay (PSD) fragmentation of Glc-beta CD, Gal-beta CD and Man-beta CD, the fragment ions of [M-Glc]+, [M-Gal]+ and [M-Man]+ were produced by the one-site cleavage of the alpha 1-6 glycosidic linkage at the branch (Y-type fragmentation). The abundances of [M-Gal]+ ions were much higher than that of [M-Man]+. These results indicated that Glc-beta CD and Gal-beta CD were distinguishable from Man-beta CD and that Y-type fragmentations of the branched glycosidic linkage at the glycosyl donors of alpha-D-Glc and alpha-D-Gal were more predominant than that at the glycosyl donor of alpha-D-Man by MALDI-PSD fragment analysis. It was concluded that the abundances of PSD fragment ions depended on the stereochemistry of the glycosyl donors in the cleavage of the glycosidic linkage of the oligosaccharides in MALDI-TOF mass spectra.

Determination of albumin adducts of (+)- anti-benzo[ a]pyrene-diol-epoxide using an high-performance liquid chromatographic column switching technique for sample preparation and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for the final detection

A novel method has been developed for the determination of (+)-anti-benzo[a]pyrene-diol-epoxide [(+)-anti-BPDE] albumin adducts in the low-picogram range. Blood from rats and humans was investigated for the validation of the method. Instead of the usual acid hydrolysis we used alkaline conditions for the cleavage of the esters formed with asparagic or glutamic acid residues of albumin. Alkaline hydrolysis gave rise to benzo[a]pyrene-r-7,t-8,t-9,c-10-tetrahydrotetrol (BT I-1) which was separated from the matrix by HPLC with a column switching technique. The analytes were collected by an automated fraction collector and after silylation determined with GC-MS using negative chemical ionization. Adduct concentrations were calculated by the internal standard method. Benzo[a]pyrene-r-7,t-8,c-9,c-10-tetrahydrotetrol (BT-II-2) was used as an internal standard because of its similar physicochemical properties and its absence from human samples. To determine the recovery of the analytical procedure benzo[a]pyrene-r-7,t-8,t-9,t-10-tetrahydrotetrol (BT I-2) was added at the end of the sample clean-up. Single ion recording mode was applied for the detection of the analyte and the standards using the abundant fragment ion m/z 284 for quantitation of the three tetrols. The mean recovery of the internal standard BT II-2 was about 50%. The limit of detection was 0.15 pg per injection corresponding to 0.01 fmol/mg albumin. Regression coefficients of the calibration curves were r2=0.99 and r2=0.98 for BT I-1 concentration ranges of 4-400 ng/l and 4-40 ng/l, respectively. The mean coefficient of variation for duplicate analyses of human albumin samples was found to be 22%.