Mass spectroscopy of natural products. II—allogibberic acid—A model for the skeletal fragmentation of the molecular ions of GA3 type gibberellins

The positive ion mass spectrum of allogibberic acid was examined and fragmentation routes involving the carbon skeleton are proposed on the basis of mass measurements and metastable ion observations. The results are compared with the mass spectra of 3-hydroxy-epiallogibberic acid, as well as gibberellin A₃ (GA₃), 3-epi-GA₃, 3-dehydro-GA₃ and iso-GA₃, the latter compounds all being capable of undergoing aromatization of ring A giving a key ion corresponding to the molecular ions of the allogibberic acid and 3-hydroxy-epiallogibberic acid models, respectively. All the gibberellin derivatives investigated show the same fragmentation of the skeleton. Thus, the behaviour under electron impact of the GA₃ type gibberellins follows a general pattern.     

Cannabis—VIII : Pyrolysis of Cannabidiol. Structure elucidation of the main pyrolytic product

GLC analysis of the products obtained by pyrolysis of cannabidiol in air at 700° revealed the formation of several components, which are not only the result of a mere cracking process. A peak with a retention time corresponding to the one of Δ1(2)tetrahydrocannabinol has been analysed by mass spectrometry. Next to at least two components with a molecular weight of 314 (C₂₁H₃₀O₂), possibly including a small amount of Δ1(2)tetrahydrocannabinol, the major component was shown to have the molecular formula C₂₁H₃₀O₃. The structure of this oxidation product of cannabidiol has been established as the decarboxylated product of the naturally occurring cannabiëlsoic acid A by the identity of its mass spectrometrical fragmentation pattern to that of one of the two decarboxylated cannabiëlsoic acid A C1-stereoisomers, obtained by photochemical oxidation of cannabidiolic acid.     

Studies of consecutive reactions of organic ions in a reversed geometry mass spectrometer

Over thirty consecutive reactions of a type m₁⁺ → m₂⁺ → m₃⁺ have been studied in a variety of organic compounds using a reversed geometry mass spectrometer. Two field free regions allow the separation of the two steps that make up the consecutive reaction sequence. Translational energy release measurements are used in the comparison of m₂⁺ ions formed as a result of a high energy process in the ion source with m₂⁺ ions formed as a product of a metastable decomposition. In some cases the structures of such ions have been found to be different. Examples have also been found where consecutive fragmentations of metastable ions do not occur although, when higher energy ions within the source are studied, the two-step reaction does take place. Furthermore, it has been found that a control over ion internal energy may be achieved by selecting portions of a peak due to the fragmentation of a metastable ion. Unimolecular reactions may then be used to study the reactivity of such ‘energy-selected’ ions; collision induced reactions can be used to study the structure of both the reactive and unreactive energy selected ions.     

Electron impact ionization of unstable enols: H2CCHOH,H2CC(OH)?CH3 and H2CC(OH)?C2H5

Ethenol, 2-hydroxypropene and 2-hydroxybutene-1 were prepared by low-pressure pyrolysis of cyclobutanol, 1-methylcyclobutanol and 1-ethylcyclobutanol, respectively. Mass spectra, ionization energies, appearance energies of metastable ions and kinetic energy releases were determined on a reverse Nier-Johnson double-focusing mass spectrometer. Mercury and CH₃ radicals from the pyrolysis of dimethylmercury were employed for calibration of the energy scale. The ionization energy of 2-hydroxybutene-1 is 8.55 ± 0.1 eV and the appearance energies of [C₂H₅CO]⁺ and [CH₃CO]⁺ from that molecule are 10.25 ± 0.1 and 10.40 ± 0.1 eV, respectively. Changes observed in metastable peak shapes for certain fragmentation reactions upon pyrolysis are discussed.     

Mass analysis of overlapping ion kinetic energy peaks arising from charge separation in dications

A triple-sector instrument of reversed geometry, BEQQ, has been employed to resolve overlapping ion kinetic energy peaks arising from charge separation of metastable dications. Separation was achieved through mass resolution of the dication in the magnetic sector and of the singly charged product ion of greater mass in the quadrupole mass filter accompanied by energy resolution with the electric sector; the electric sector was scanned to cover the complete range of each charge separation peak. Two overlapping ion kinetic energy peaks arising from charge separation of the diphenylenimine dication and up to four overlapping ion kinetic peaks arising from charge separations of dications arising from benzene-1,3,5-d₃ have been resolved. The kinetic energy releases have been calculated in each case. Enhanced z-discrimination is observed with the final stage of mass analysis.     

Pyrolysis mass spectrometry of methionine

The mechanisms of some fragmentation of methionine upon Curie-point pyrolysis have been studied by the use of deuterium labelling. They lead to products having the same nominal mass but essentially different elemental compositions compared with ions generated by electron impact on methionine. For exaple, upon pyrolysis the product with mass 116 is due to a 1,2 elimination of hydroxylamine from the title compound, whereas upon electron impact the ion with m/e 116 is generated by successive loss of a molecule of water and of a methyl radical from the molecular ion; the generated of product m/e 101 proceeds via successive loss of a molecule of water, carbon monoxide and of hydrogen upon pyrolysis, but via a one-step elimination of methanethiol upon electron impact. No evidence has been found for a diketopiperazine formation by a bimolecular process upon pyrolysis, although this type of reaction is well known for α-amino acids.     

NITRATE EFFECT ON Pfr-MEDIATED AND GA3-INDUCED GERMINATION IN SPORES OF Anemia phyllitidis (L.) Sw*

Spore germination in Anemia phyllitidis can be induced by red light (R) via the phytochrome system and by gibberellic acid (GA₃) in the dark. An enhancing effect of NO₃-ions on the Pfr-mediated germination could be demonstrated. This NO₃-effect was found to be pronounced during the preinduction phase and could be described by biphasic kinetics depending on the formation of Pfr by the R-irradiation. Besides NO₃, other electron accepting substances also increased germination significantly. In contrast to Pfr-mediated germination, no enhancing effect by NO₃ could be obtained for the GA₃-induced germination response. The application of an inhibitor of gibberellic acid synthesis, AMO1618, as well as the analysis of combined R and GA₃ treatment, support the hypothesis that for germination of Anemia phyllitidis spores no synergism between the factors exists. Thus, it is proposed that the gibberellic acid receptor starts a signal-transduction pathway resulting in germination which is in part independent of the Pfr-mediated signal-transduction chain. The NO₃-effect is specific for the Pfr-mediated signal-transduction chain.     

Gibberellic acid production by solid-state fermentation in coffee husk

Five strains of Gibberella fujikuroi and one of Fusarium moniliforme were screened for the production of gibberellic acid (GA₃) in coffee husk, and based on the results, one strain, G. fujikuroi LPB-06, was selected. The comparative production of GA₃ by solid-state fermentation and submerged fermentation indicated better productivity with the former technique, mainly with pretreated substrate. The GA₃ accumulation was 6.1 times higher in the case of solid-state fermentation. Considering the C:N relation, higher yields of GA₃ were achieved using a mixed substrate comprising coffee husk and cassava bagasse (7:3, dry wt), increasing the results twice. Supplementation of an optimized saline solution containing 0.03% FeSO₄ and 0.01% (NH₄)₂SO₄ enhanced the accumulation of GA₃ 1.7 times in the fermented substrate. Under the finally optimized condition, the culture gave a maximum of 492.5 mg of GA₃/kg of dry substrate, with a pH of 5.3, moisture of 75%, and incubation temperature of 29°C. GA₃ yield was almost 13 times more than the initial results.     

Specific and random processes in the fragmentation of cyclohexanol

The mass spectra of cyclohexanol and eleven deuterated analogues have been studied. Detailed mechanisms, consistent with peak intensity and defocused metastable abundance data, have been proposed for the loss of water from the molecular ion and for the subsequent loss of a methyl radical. The importance of specific eliminations and the absence of any processes involving complete hydrogen atom scrambling in these fragmentations has been demonstrated. Scrambling has also been shown to be absent in the formation of the base peak m/e 57, the [C₃H₅O]⁺ ion.     

Gibberellin Promotes Cell Growth and Induces Changes in Fatty Acid Biosynthesis and Upregulates Fatty Acid Biosynthetic Genes in Chlorella vulgaris UMT-M1

Microalgae lipids and oils are potential candidates for renewable biofuels and nutritional inventions. Recent studies from our lab have shown that two plant hormones, auxin and jasmonic acid, influence microalgae growth and fatty acid accumulation. Therefore, in this study, a high oil-producing strain Chlorella vulgaris UMT-M1 was selected for hormonal study using gibberellin (GA). Exogenous GA₃ was applied to early stationary culture of C. vulgaris UMT-M1. Results showed that GA₃ gradually increases the cell density of C. vulgaris to up to 42% on days after treatment (DAT)-8 and also capable of delaying the algal senescence. However, the increment in cell density did not enhance the total oil production albeit transient modification of fatty acid compositions was observed for saturated (SFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids. This illustrates that GA₃ only promotes cell division and growth but not the oil accumulation. In addition, application of GA₃ in culture medium was shown to promote transient increment of palmitic (C16:0) and stearic (C18:0) acids from DAT-4 to DAT-6 and these changes are correlated with the expression of β-ketoacyl ACP synthase I (KAS I) gene.

     

Gibberellic acid production by free and immobilized cells in different culture systems

Gibberellic acid production was studied in different fermentation systems. Free and immobilized cells of Gibberella fujikuroi cultures in shakeflask, stirred and fixed-bed reactors were evaluated for the production of gibberellic acid (GA₃). Gibberellic acid production with free cells cultured in a stirred reactor reached 0.206 g/L and a yield of 0.078 g of GA₃/g biomass.     

A study of complex mixtures of natural substances by the defocusing and DADI methods. III. Components of the protective secretion of the beetleCoccinella septempunctata

The composition of the protective secretion of the seven-spot ladybugCoccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) has been studied by the methods of high- and low-resolution mass spectrometry. By determining the complete genetic link between the ions of a sample of the secretion by the methods of metastable defocussing and the direct analysis of daughter ions (DADI) the presence of the molecular ions of eight substances contained in the secretion has been shown. These components of the secretion have been identified as squalene, cholesterol, cholesta-3,5-diene, palmitic acid, and the alkaloids coccinellin, precoccinellin, and propylein, and a probable structure has been proposed for a base C₁₃H₁₆N.Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 764–770, November–December, 1981.     

Gibberelline—L.: Synthese von O(3)- und O(13)-glucosylierten gibberellinen

The synthesis of the O(3)-β-D-glucopyranosides of GA₁, GA₃ and GA₄ (19a, 18a, 17a) as well of the O(13)-β-D-glucopyranosides of GA₁, GA₃ and GA₅ (21a, 20a, 22a) could be realized by means of the Koenigs-Knorr reaction. In addition to these monoglucosides the GA₃-O(3,13)-di-β-D-glucopyranoside (23a) has been synthesized. The structures of the prepared glucosides and their derivatives have been established by spectroscopical data.     

Metastable ion studies. XII—Molecular and fragment ion structures for isomeric C4H6O2 acids

Metastable peak characteristics, ionization and appearance energy data and isotopic labelling experiments have been applied to a study of the fragmentation behaviour of the molecular ions of the isomeric C₄H₆O₂C acids, cis and trans-crotonic acids, methacrylic acid, butenoic acid and cyclopropane carboxylic acid. Prior to the losses of H₂O and CH₃, all the metastable molecular ions rearrange to [cis-crotonic acid]⁺? ions. Loss of H₂O, which generates a composite metastable peak, is proposed to yield vinylketene and/or cyclobutenone molecular ions. Detailed mechanisms are presented for the isomerizations of the various molecular ions and for the above fragmentations. Ionized 3-butenoic and cyclopropane carboxylic acids display a major loss of CO from their metastable ions, a minor process in the other isomers. The metastable peaks consist of two components and these are ascribed to the formation of propen-1-ol and allyl alcohol as daughter ions. Some comparative data are presented for the isomeric C₅H₈O₂ acids, tiglic acid, angelic acid and senecioic acid.     

Gibberellic Acid Increases Secondary Metabolite Production in Echinacea purpurea Hairy Roots

Gibberellic acid (GA₃) is reported to have diverse effects on hairy root cultures of many plant species; therefore, the effects of GA₃ on the growth, secondary metabolite production (caffeic acid derivatives and lignin), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity, and free radical scavenging activity of light-grown Echinacea purpurea L. hairy roots were investigated. Eight concentrations of GA₃, ranging from 0.005 to 1.0 μM, were added to shake flask cultures. The moderate GA₃ concentration, 0.025 μM, resulted in the highest concentrations of cichoric acid, caftaric acid, and chlorogenic acid, as well as increased PAL activity, cell viability, and free radical scavenging activity, while higher and lower GA₃ concentrations resulted in reduced levels compared to the control (lacking GA₃). The moderate GA₃ concentration also affected root morphogenesis; supplementation with 0.025 μM GA₃ resulted in the development of thick, dense, purple-colored roots, while roots exposed to the higher and lower concentrations of GA₃ were thin and off-white. This study demonstrates that supplementation with GA₃ may be an excellent strategy to optimize the production of secondary metabolites from E. purpurea hairy root cultures; however, the GA₃ concentration is a critical factor.     

Charge Transfer and Metastable Ion Dissociation of Multiply Charged Molecular Cations Observed by Using Reflectron Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

A multiply charged molecule expands the range of a mass window and is utilized as a precursor to provide rich sequence coverage; however, reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer has not been well applied to the product ion analysis of multiply charged precursor ions. Here, we demonstrate that the range of the mass-to-charge ratio of measurable product ions is limited in the cases of multiply charged precursor ions. We choose C₆F₆ as a model molecule to investigate the reactions of multiply charged molecular cations formed in intense femtosecond laser fields. Measurements of the time-of-flight spectrum of C₆F₆ by changing the potential applied to the reflectron, combined with simulation of the ion trajectory, can identify the species detected behind the reflectron as the neutral species and/or ions formed by the collisional charge transfer. Moreover, the metastable ion dissociations of doubly and triply charged C₆F₆ are identified. The detection of product ions in this manner can diminish interference by the precursor ion. Moreover, it does not need precursor ion separation before product ion analysis. These advantages would expand the capability of mass spectrometry to obtain information about metastable ion dissociation of multiply charged species.     

Thermal degradation and evolved gas analysis of thiourea-formaldehyde resin (TFR) during pyrolysis and combustion

Thiourea formaldehyde resin (TFR) has been synthesized by condensation of thiourea and formaldehyde in acidic medium and its thermal degradation has been investigated using TG-FTIR-MS technique during pyrolysis and combustion. The results revealed that the thermal decomposition of TFR occurs in three steps assigned to drying of the sample, fast thermal decomposition of polymers, and further cracking. The similar TG and DTG characteristics were found for the first two stages during pyrolysis and combustion. The combustion process was almost finished at 680?°C, while during pyrolysis a total mass loss of 93 wt% is found at 950?°C. The release of volatile products during pyrolysis are NH₃, CS₂, CO, HCN, HNCS, and NH₂CN. The main products in the second stage are NH₃ CO₂, CS₂, SO₂, and H₂O during combustion. In the next stage, the combustion products mentioned above keep on increasing, but some new volatiles such as HCN, COS etc., are identified. Among the above volatiles, CO₂ is the dominant gaseous product in the whole combustion process. It is found that the thermal degradation during pyrolysis of TFR produced more hazardous gases like HCN, NH₃, and CO when compared with combustion in similar conditions.     

The mass spectra of some C-19 modified cholesteryl derivatives

The mass spectra of twenty one C-19 modified cholesteryl derivatives have been determined and compared with results for related systems. In the case when the hydrogen(s) of the C-19 group have been replaced by other groups the metastable evidence shows that in those molecules with a C-3 hydroxyl group the loss of water followed by the loss of the C-19 group gives rise to an intense ion at m/e 353, whereas the loss of the C-19 group with hydrogen transfer to the ion, followed by the loss of water gives rise to the large ion at m/e 354. In contrast in the case of the C-3 acetates the main fragmentation is the loss of acetic acid followed by the loss of the C-19 group to give the ion at m/e 353. This is rationalised on the basis of results observed in other systems. In the case of the C-3 tosylates evidence for pyrolysis before electron impact fragmentation is presented. The subsequent fragmentation of the large ions at m/e 354, 353 and other m/e values in the high mass region is shown to be in line with earlier work.     

The mechanism for elimination of acetic acid from 1-acetoxy- and 2-acetoxytetralin

By employing deuterium substitution and metastable ion defocusing methods, it has been determined that 1-acetoxytetralin undergoes a highly regiospecific (>98%) 1,4-elimenation of acetic acid. The mechanism closely parallels that for loss of water from 1-tetralol in terms of specificity. However, unlike the water loss, which shows a significant kinetic isotope effect (K_H/K_D = 2.0) and a large release of translational energy (270 meV), the expulsion of acetic acid occurs without an isotope effect and with release of only 10 meV of kinetic energy. Competitive with acetic acid loss is the elimination of ketene which has been shown to occur by a 4-centered transition state. The 2-acetoxytetralin exhibits the more traditional 1,2-elimination of acetic acid which contrasts with a 1,3-elemination of water for the corresponding alcohol.