Identification of dimeric anthocyanins and new oligomeric pigments in red wine by means of HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn

High-pressure liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionisation/ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS(n)) analyses carried out in red wine fractions revealed the existence of dimeric anthocyanins (A-A(+)), previously detected in grape skin, and allowed the detection and identification, for the first time, of other derived oligomers. The structure of these compounds was characterised according to their MS(n)(n = 1-4) fragmentation patterns. The newly detected oligomers consisted of a flavanol, (epi)catechin or (epi)gallocatechin, linked through its C(4) position to the nucleophilic positions of the upper unit of a dimeric anthocyanin (F-A-A(+)). All the compounds contained malvidin as one of the anthocyanin subunits, whereas the other anthocyanin moiety could be either delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, peonidin or malvidin. With the fractionation method employed, the dimeric anthocyanins eluted in the same fractions as the monomeric anthocyanins. However, the new F-A-A(+) oligomers were found in the same fractions as F-A(+) dimers, which might indicate a structural similarity between both types of compounds. ESI/MS(n) analyses, coupled or not to HPLC, showed to be a useful and powerful tool for detecting and identifying these oligomers in wines, which usually elute from reversed-phase columns as humps and/or are overlapped by the peaks of other compounds. The detection of these oligomeric pigments in wine has provided more information about the complex pigments responsible for the elevation of the base line observed in the chromatograms of wines and has also revealed that oligomeric anthocyanins can take part in the reactions usually undergone by monomeric anthocyanins.     

Identification of new flavan‐3‐ol monoglycosides by UHPLC‐ESI‐Q‐TOF in grapes and wine

Flavan‐3‐ol monoglycosides, having four aglycons (+)‐catechin, (?)‐epicatechin, (?)‐epigallocatechin and epicatechin gallate monomeric units, are detected for the first time in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Merlot grape seeds and wine. These compounds were analyzed in red wine, seed and skin extracts by electrospray ionization quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (MS) in negative mode. Fragment ions derived from retro‐Diels Alder, heterocyclic ring fragmentation, benzofuran forming fragmentation and glycoside fragmentations were detected in targeted MS/MS mode. These compounds were not detected in skins; the comparative study showed evidence that these glycosylated compounds originate only from grape seeds. Our method allows for the identification of these glycosylated compounds based on their exact mass and their specific fragmentation pattern. However, exact glucose position on the monomeric units can not be determined. This work allowed us to partially identify 14 new flavan‐3‐ol monoglycosides, based on the exact mass of the molecular ions and their specific retro‐Diels Alder, heterocyclic ring fragmentation, benzofuran forming fragmentation and glycoside fragmentations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rapid identification of C21 steroidal saponins in Cynanchum versicolor Bunge by electrospray ionization multi-stage tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization multi-stage tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn) and liquid chromatography coupled with on-line electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MSn) were performed to elucidate the clearage rule of nine investigated C21 steroidal saponins and identify them in the saponin fraction of 90% ethanolic extracts from the root and rhizome of Cynanchum versicolor Bunge. The fragments of C21 steroidal saponins in positive and negative ESI-MSn were used to deduce their mass spectral fragmentation mechanisms, and their structures were further confirmed by ESI-MSn in positive mode. The MSn spectra of the [M+Na]+ ions for saponins provided a wealth of structural information on glycosidic bond cleavage, which allowed a straightforward interpretation of spectra, with respect to the identifications of features such as the sequences of sugars attached to saponins and sugar type. By using LC/ESI-MSn, nine C21 steroidal saponins were detected in the saponin fraction of C. versicolor, and an isomer of atratoglaucoside A was elucidated simultaneously. All nine compounds showed an abundant ion for the loss of 46 Da (HCOOH) from [M+Na]+. The losses of monosaccharide sequences and aglycone as neutral fragmentation from [M+Na-HCOOH]+ were also acquired as the characteristic ions of these C21 steroidal saponins. It provided important information on monosaccharide sequences and in particular on sugar types and could be used to identify and elucidate other C21 steroidal saponins. These studies allowed us to rapidly identify C21 steroidal saponins from Radix cynanchi atrati. It is indicated that the described method had wide applicability to rapidly screen and provide structural confirmation on C21 steroidal saponins in crude materials.     

Fragmentation pathways of drugs of abuse and their metabolites based on QTOF MS/MS and MS(E) accurate-mass spectra

A study of the fragmentation pathways of several classes of drugs of abuse (cannabinoids, ketamine, amphetamine and amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), cocaine and opiates) and their related substances has been made. The knowledge of the fragmentation is highly useful for specific fragment selection or for recognition of related compounds when developing MS-based analytical methods for the trace-level determination of these compounds in complex matrices. In this work, accurate-mass spectra of selected compounds were obtained using liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, performing both MS/MS and MS(E) experiments. As regards fragmentation behavior, the mass spectra of both approaches were quite similar and were useful to study the fragmentation of the drugs investigated. Accurate-mass spectra of 37 drugs of abuse and related compounds, including metabolites and deuterated analogues, were studied in this work, and structures of fragment ions were proposed. The accurate-mass data obtained allowed to confirm structures and fragmentation pathways previously proposed based on nominal mass measurements, although new insights and structure proposals were achieved in some particular cases, especially for amphetamine and ATS, 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) and opiates.     

Determination of 19 rhubarb constituents by high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet-mass spectrometry

Rhubarb (Rhei rhizoma), a commonly used Chinese herb, contains anthraquinones, anthrones, galloylglucoses, stilbenes, and flavan-3-ols compounds, etc. as major constituents. Using 19 of these compounds as markers, an HPLC-UV-MS method was developed to estimate the quality of rhubarb samples within a period of 70 min. Extracts were analyzed with a Cosmosil 5C18-MS column and eluted with a gradient comprising an aqueous solution of acetic acid and methanol at a flow rate of 0.9 mL/min. Peaks were detected by absorbance measurements at 254 nm (6 and 8-19) and 280 nm (1-5 and 7), and the peaks of the marker substances were identified from their UV spectra and MS fragmentation patterns. The proposed method yielded a peak-area ratio RSD value with an intraday SD falling within 0.71-1.78% and an interday SD within 0.78-1.98% at a detection limit of 0.2-3.2 microg/mL. The ESI negative ion mode was used to collect data (molecular weight, CID fragments from MS and MS/MS spectra) for 19 compounds from four types of structure categories: anthraquinones, dianthrone glycosides, stilbenes, and galloylglucosides. The information gathered can be used to identify the structures of various peaks appearing in the LC chromatograms of rhubarb samples.     

Characterization and identification of saikosaponins in crude extracts from three Bupleurum species using LC-ESI-MS

A LC-diode array detection (DAD)-ESI-MS/MS method was established for the online characterization and identification of saikosaponins (SSs) from extracts of roots of Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd, B. marginatum var. stenophyllum and B. komarovianum. In ESI-MS/MS spectra of SSs, [M-H](- )ions were subjected to the cleavage of glycosidic bonds and produced Y type ions, which can be used to elucidate the structures of saccharide chains and aglycones. Fragmentation of aglycones provided mass information about their major substitutions. For three structural types of SSs, type III can be easily identified by their fragmentation behaviors; while type I and II often occur as isomers and they can be discriminated by their typical UV absorption data. The only sugar ring-cross cleavage corresponding to 76 Da took place at a furanose sugar moiety. As a result, more than 75 SSs, including eight novel compounds, were identified or tentatively characterized based on their UV and mass spectra and retention times. The approach established here allows a comprehensive analysis of the SSs in the genus of Bupleurum and will be helpful for quality control of the crude materials and their related preparations.     

On-Line HPLC-UV-mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry for the rapid delineation and characterization of differences in complex mixtures: a case study using toxic oil variants

An integrated differential approach to the characterization of complex mixtures is presented which includes the targeting of liquid chromatography (LC) peaks for identification using characteristic UV adsorption of the LC peak, subsequent molecular weight and formula determination using accurate mass LC mass spectrometry (MS), and structure characterization using accurate mass LC-tandem mass spectrometry. The use of differential UV adsorption aids in narrowing the scope of the study to only specific peaks of interest. Accurate mass measurement of the molecular ion species provides molecular weight information as well as atomic composition information. The tandem MS (MS/MS) spectra provide fragmentation information which allows for structural characterization of each component. Accurate mass assignment of each of the fragment ions in the MS/MS spectrum provides atomic composition for each of the fragment ions and thus further aids in the structural characterization. These experiments are facilitated through the use of on-line LC-MS and LC-MS/MS with in-line UV detection. A synthetic toxic oil (STO) related to Toxic Oil Syndrome is studied with a focus on possible contaminants resulting from the interaction of aniline, used as a denaturant, with the normal components of the oil. A differential analysis between the STO and a control oil is performed. LC peaks were targeted using UV absorbance to indicate the possible presence of the aniline moiety. Further differential analysis was performed through the determination of the MS signals associated with each component separated on the LC. Finally, the MS/MS data was also used to determine if the fragmentation of the targeted components indicated the presence of aniline. The MS/MS and accurate mass data were used to assign the structures for the targeted components.     

Fast analysis of flavonoids in plant extracts by liquid chromatography-ultraviolet absorbance detection on poly(carboxylic acid)-coated silica and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric detection

A highly hydrophilic poly(7-oxonorbornene-5,6-dicarboxylic acid-block-norbornene) [=poly-(ONDCA-b-NBE)]-coated silica was investigated for the liquid chromatographic (LC) determination of flavonoids in plant extracts of complex biological origin using UV absorbance and mass spectrometric (MS) detection. Compared to the most commonly used octadecyl derivatized silica this sorbent allowed fast separations even at extreme pH values. Furthermore, UV absorbance and MS detection were evaluated. As we found, UV detection at 254 nm allows the determination of flavonoids down to the ng range with a linearity of R2>0.9906. For the more selective characterization the validated LC system was coupled to a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer via an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface. MS detection showed high linearity (R2>0.9904) for all investigated flavonoids. Due to the relatively high flow-rate of 1 ml/min the limits of detection were found in the lower-microg range. Collision induced dissociation was applied to obtain characteristic fragmentation fingerprints. Finally, the validated LC-ESI-MS-MS method demonstrated that this poly-(ONDCA-b-NBE) stationary phase allows fast characterization and quantitation in onion, elderflower blossom, lime blossom, St. John's Wort and red wine.     

Structural characterization of constituents with molecular diversity in fractions from Lysidice brevicalyx by liquid chromatography/diode-array detection/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/nuclear magnetic resonance

A combination of electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC/ESI-MSn), and hyphenation of liquid chromatography to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HPLC/NMR), have been extensively utilized for on-line analysis of natural products, analyzing metabolite and drug impurity. In our last paper, we reported an on-line analytical method for structural identification of trace alkaloids in the same class. However, the structural types of the constituents in plants were various, such as flavanoids, terpenoids and steroids. It is important to establish an effective analytical method for on-line structural identification of constituents with molecular diversity in extracts of plants. So, in the present study, the fragmentation patterns of some isolated stilbenes, phloroglucinols and flavanoids from Lysidice rhodostegia were investigated by ESI-MSn. Their fragmentation rules and UV characteristics are summarized, and the relationship between the spectral characteristics, rules and the structures is described. According to the fragmentation rules, NMR and UV spectral characteristics, 24 constituents of different types in the fractions from L. brevicalyx of the same genus were structurally characterized on the basis of HPLC/HRMS, HPLC-UV/ESI-MSn, HPLC/1H NMR and HPLC/1H-1H COSY rapidly. Of these, six (10, 13, 14, 16, 17 and 23) are new compounds and all of them are reported from L. brevicalyx for the first time. The aim is to develop an effective analytical method for on-line structural identification of natural products with molecular diversity in plants, and to guide the rapid and direct isolation of novel compounds by chemical screening.     

Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectral analysis of oxidation products of precursors of sulfur mustards

Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectral (ESI-MSn) analysis of thiodiglycol, bis(2-hydroxyethylthio)alkanes (BHETAs) and their mono-, di-, tri-, and tetraoxygenated compounds was carried out to obtain their characteristic spectra for ESI-MS analysis. These compounds are important markers of chemical warfare agents, namely sulfur mustards. ESI-MSn (n > or = 3) analysis of a compound by collisionally induced dissociation in an ion trap gives rise to mass spectra that are somewhat similar to electron ionization mass spectra. These ESI-MSn spectra can be used for compound identification. Under ESI-MS and ESI-MS/MS the compounds mostly produced [M+NH4]+, [M+H]+ and [M+H--H2O]+ ions. Fragmentations of these even-electron precursors in the ion trap gave rise to characteristic product ions via neutral loss of O2, H2O, C2H4, HCHO, C2H4O, C2H4S, HSC2H4OH and C2H4SO. Fragmentation routes of these compounds are proposed that rationalize the formation of product ions in ESI-MSn analysis.     

环钯化二茂铁亚胺-膦配合物的电喷雾离子阱质谱研究

采用电喷雾离子阱质谱法(ESI-MS)对10种环钯化二茂铁亚胺-膦配合物的质谱特征进行了研究, 获得了其结构碎片信息, 对其质谱裂解途径进行了解析. 结果表明, 在正离子检测方式下可以得到强的准分子离子峰[M-Cl]+簇, 它们的(+) ESI-MSn(n=1~3)质谱主要产生碳-膦键断裂的碎片, 同时也能观察到Pd—P或Pd—C键的断裂, 这些特征为此类化合物及其结构类似物的结构推断提供了依据.     

Screening non-colored phenolics in red wines using liquid chromatography/ultraviolet and mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry libraries

Liquid chromatography/ultraviolet (LC/UV) and mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (MS/MS) libraries containing 39 phenolic compounds were established by coupling a LC and an ion trap MS with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source, operated in negative ion mode. As a result, the deprotonated [M-H]- molecule was observed for all the analyzed compounds. Using MS/MS hydroxybenzoic acid and hydroxycinnamic acids showed a loss of CO2 and production of a [M-H-44]- fragment and as expected, the UV spectra of these two compounds were affected by their chemical structures. For flavonol and flavonol glycosides, the spectra of their glycosides and aglycones produced deprotonated [M-H]- and [A-H]- species, respectively, and their UV spectra each presented two major absorption peaks. The UV spectra and MS/MS data of flavan-3-ols and stilbenes were also investigated. Using the optimized LC/MS/MS analytical conditions, the phenolic extracts from six representative wine samples were analyzed and 31 phenolic compounds were detected, 26 of which were identified by searching the LC/UV and MS/MS libraries. Finally, the presence of phenolic compounds was confirmed in different wine samples using the LC/UV and LC/MS/MS libraries.     

Multistage electrospray ionization mass spectrometric analyses of sulfur-containing iridoid glucosides in Paederia scandens

Paederia scandens is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that possesses important bioactive sulfur-containing iridoid glucosides. This study reports the investigation of the fragmentation behavior of four sulfur-containing iridoid glucosides isolated from P. scandens by ion trap electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn). Both multistage electrospray ionization (ESI-MSn) experiments in an ion trap instrument and high-resolution and accurate mass measurement in an ESI-Q-TOF mass spectrometer in positive mode were used to elucidate the main fragmentation pathways of these compounds. These experiments yielded essentially the same product ions in both ion trap and Q-TOF instruments, and their fragmentation patterns were found useful for their characterization, which were applied to elucidate a trace compound in the extracts of P. scandens by on-line LC/ESI-MSn. Major and diagnostic product ions have been identified and their origins are proposed.     

Liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for the characterization of twenty-three flavonoids in the extract of Dalbergia odorifera

A method incorporating high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry, with parallel analysis by HPLC with UV detection using a diode-array detector, was developed for the qualitative characterization of flavonoids in D. odorifera. Twenty-three flavonoids, including six isoflavones, six neoflavones, four isoflavanones, three flavanones, two chalcones, one isoflavanonol and one pterocarpan, were unambiguously identified by comparing their retention times, UV and MS spectra with those of authentic compounds. Furthermore, the collision-induced dissociations of the [M-H]- ions were studied to clarify the MS behavior of the different types of flavonoids. In negative ion ESI-MS all the flavonoids yielded prominent [M-H]- ions in the first order mass spectra. Fragments involving losses of CH3*, H2O, CO, C2H2O, and CO2 were observed in the MS/MS spectra. Each of the seven types of flavonoid showed characteristic MS/MS fragmentation patterns. The isoflavanones, flavanones and chalcones were observed to undergo retro-Diels-Alder fragmentations. The spectra of almost all the neoflavonoids unexpectedly exhibited only [M-H-CH3]-* radical anions as base peaks without any further fragmentation. Substitution positions also remarkably influenced the fragmentation behavior, which could assist in distinction among the flavonoid isomers. The fragmentation rules deduced here could aid in the characterization of other flavonoids of these types.     

High-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for the simultaneous analysis of cis-, trans- and dihydro-2-glucosyloxycinnamic acid derivatives from Dendrobium medicinal plants

Sensitive, selective and reliable high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detection (DAD)/electrospray ionization multi-stage mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn) methods have been developed for the characterization of nine 2-glucosyloxycinnamic acid derivatives and quantitative analysis of three of the major 2-glucosyloxycinnamic acids, cis-melilotoside, trans-melilotoside and dihydromelilotoside, present in Dendrobium medicinal plants. The identities of the latter three major 2-glucosyloxycinnamic acids were confirmed by comparing their retention times, UV and mass spectra with those of the reference standards. The characteristic ESI-MSn fragmentation patterns of the remaining six 2-glucosyloxycinnamic acid derivatives, which are similar to the three major compounds, have allowed the putative elucidation of their structures. The concentrations of the cis-, trans- and dihydromelilotosides were simultaneously determined by HPLC/ESI-MS2 using the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode in extracts of Dendrobium species. The method was validated with respect to the overall intra- and inter-day variation (RSD less than 8%) and the limits of quantification for the cis-, trans- and dihydromelilotosides were 0.09, 0.09 and 0.01 microg/mL, respectively.     

Rapid structural determination of new trace cassaine-type diterpenoid amides in fractions from Erythrophleum fordii by liquid chromatography-diode-array detection/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/nuclear magnetic resonance

Electrospray ionization multi-stage tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn), and combination with HPLC (HPLC/ESI-MSn), have been extensively applied to on-line analysis of natural products. Hyphenation of liquid chromatography to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HPLC/NMR) has been developed in the last decade, which is utilized for the analysis of metabolites and drug impurities. In the study reported here, the fragmentation behaviors of eight cassaine-type diterpenoid amides from Erythrophleum fordii were investigated by ESI-MSn. The fragmentation rules and NMR spectral characteristics are summarized, and the relationship among the rules, characteristics and the structures is described. According to the fragmentation rules and NMR spectral characteristics, seven trace constituents and two formerly obtained compounds of cassaine-type diterpenoid amides in the fractions from E. fordii were structurally characterized on the basis of HPLC/HRMS, HPLC-DAD/ESI-MSn, HPLC/1H NMR and HPLC/1H-1H COSY rapidly. Among them, constituents 1-5 are new compounds, and 6 and 7 are reported from E. fordii for the first time. The aim is to develop an effective analytical method for structural identification of new trace natural products in plants.     

Characterization of the interglycosidic linkage in di-, tri-, tetra- and pentaglycosylated flavonoids and differentiation of positional isomers by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

The LC/UV-DAD/ESI-MSn negative fragmentation mode of 23 O-glycosylated flavonoids with two, three, four and five hexoses was studied. The results show that it is possible to differentiate the (1-->2) and (1-->6) interglucosidic linkages and also to discern between the flavonoid isomers with two glucoses (sophorosides, gentiobiosides and X,Y-diglucosides), three glucoses (sophorotriosides and X-sophoroside-Y-glucoside) and four glucoses (X-sophorotriosides-Y-glucoside and X-sophoroside-Y-sophoroside). In the characterization of the (1-->2) and (1-->6) interglycosidic linkages, the Y1- (-162 u) and Z1- (-180 u) ions play a relevant role. In the first case ions with high relative abundance (13-79%) are found, whereas in the other cases they are in very low abundance or absent. X,Y-di-O-glucoside flavonoids can be differentiated from the O-diglucoside flavonoids by the presence of Y1- (base peak) and Y0- (approximately 30%) ions and the absence of Z1- ions. Regarding flavonoids glycosylated with three glucoses, X-sophoroside-Y-glucoside flavonoids show the Y7(0-) (-162 u) ion as the only peak in MS2 events whereas in sophorotrioside flavonoids various ions due to intermediate fragmentations are observed. These ions are characteristic of a (1-->2) interglucosidic linkage. In MS2 experiments on flavonoids with four glucoses (X-sophorotrioside-Y-glucoside and X-sophoroside-Y-sophoroside), the base peak indicated the total loss of the sugar moieties in position 7. In addition, the characterization of the type of interglycosidic linkage in flavonoids glycosylated with five sugars can be achieved. On the other hand, in tetra- and pentaglycosylated flavonoids, the ions that characterize the (1-->2) interglucosidic linkage formed by intermediate fragmentation of the oligosacharide residues (sophorosides and sophorotriosides) are found in much higher relative abundance in MS3 than in MS2 experiments, where they are almost not detected.     

Separation of pyranoanthocyanins from red wine by column chromatography

With the aim of monitoring the formation of anthocyanin-derived pigments and contributing to the study of their chromatic properties, stability and relative contribution to the colour of red wines, a method for fractionation of the colouring material was set up. The method was based on the distinct reactivity of the different pigment families towards bisulfite (hydrogen sulfite). The wine, acidified and bleached with NaHSO₃, was placed in a Toyopearl^® HW-40(s) gel column and submitted to elution with ethanol. Two fractions with different pigment compositions were collected and analysed by liquid chromatographay diode array detection-mass spectrometry. Compounds present in each fraction were identified according to their UV-visible and MSⁿ mass spectra, showing that the first one was mostly constituted of pyranoanthocyanins, whereas the second basically contained anthocyanins and anthocyanin-flavanol condensation products. A large variety of new pigments were detected, some of which had not been previously reported in red wines, as far as we know. Characteristic MS² and MS³ fragmentation patterns were observed within each family of compounds, which could be further applied for characterisation of unknown pigments in other wines.     

Rapid structural characterization of isomeric benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids from the roots of Zanthoxylum nitidium by liquid chromatography combined with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

The fragmentation mechanism of six alkaloids, namely: dihydronitidine, dihydrochelerythrine, 8-acetonyldihydronitidine, 8-acetonyldrochelerythrine, nitidine and 1,3-bis(8-dihydronitidinyl)acetone, was investigated by electrospray ionization multi-stage tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn). Tandem mass spectrometry experiments indicated that different substitution sites of the methoxyl groups at C-9 and C-10 or at C-10 and C-11 determined the different abundances of the MS2 fragmentation ions using the same collision energy. According to the different abundances of MS2 product ions, positional isomeric benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids can be differentiated. Moreover, ten constituents in the crude alkaloidol extract from the roots of Zanthoxylum nitidium were rapidly identified by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MSn), through comparing the retention times and ESI-MSn spectra with the authentic standards. This work demonstrates that not only the characteristic fragments but also the characteristic abundances of the fragment ions can be used for detailed structural characterization.     

Characterization of phenolic acids and flavonoids in dandelion (Taraxacum officinale WEB. ex WIGG.) root and herb by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Phenolic acids and flavonoids were extracted from a dandelion (Taraxacum officinale WEB. ex WIGG.) root and herb juice and characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Among the 43 compounds detected, 5 mono- and dicaffeoylquinic acids, 5 tartaric acid derivatives, 8 flavone and 8 flavonol glycosides were characterized based on their UV spectra and their fragmentation patterns in collision-induced dissociation experiments. The predominant compound was chicoric acid (dicaffeoyltartaric acid). Furthermore, several caffeoylquinic acid isomers were distinguished in dandelion extracts for the first time by their specific mass spectral data. The present study reveals that even more quercetin glycosides were found in dandelion than hitherto assumed. The occurrence of di- and triglycosylated flavonoids in particular has not yet been described. This paper marks the first report on HPLC-DAD/ESI-MSn investigations of phenolic compounds in dandelion.