Characteristic fragmentations of peptide derivatives containing proline in negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

Fragmentations of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-protected tripeptide ethyl esters containing proline were compared with those of the corresponding peptide derivatives not containing proline in negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The fragment ion [M – 109]^? due to loss of the benzyloxy group followed by dehydrogenation from the peptide molecule was the base peak in the negative-ion mass spectra for the peptides not containing proline, whilst it was a very weak fragment ion or not observed at all in those for the peptides containing proline. These results suggest that the fragmentations of the peptide derivatives in negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry depend on the conformational difference of the peptide derivatives owing to the existence of proline in the derivative.     

Analysis of xanthates by negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

A new technique using negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry for the analysis of xanthates and related compounds is described. Electron impact and positive-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry produced no structurally related fragment ions or observable molecular ions at the expected m/z values. It was demonstrated that negative-ion fast atom bombardment ionization was the most suitable method of ionization for structure elucidation studies for the compounds described.     

Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometric study of benzyloxycarbonyl-protected tetrapeptides containing proline

Fragmentations of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-protected tetrapeptide ethyl esters containing L -alanine and L -proline, in which changes in the numbers and positions of prolyl residues were observed, were studied by negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. A significant difference was found among the abundances of the molecule ions and the fragment ions formed by the cleavage of the benzyloxycarbonyl group, depending on the numbers and positions of prolyl residues in the derivatives. The results indicate that the conformational differences in the tetrapeptide derivatives due to the existence of proline affect fragmentations of molecules in the solution phase in negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.     

Fast atom bombardment mass spectra of isobaric/isomeric phosphonium salts

The positive ion fast atom bombardment mass spectra of isobaric/isomeric aryl phosphonium salts typically contain abundant intact cations, which can be used to establish the cationic molecular weight, characteristic ions that can be used to delineate structural subgroups, and fragment ions corresponding to losses of small neutral molecules. Several of the fragmentation pathways were elucidated by parent ion and daughter ion tandem mass spectrometry experiments. Dependence of the fragmentation reactions on functional group substitution suggests that fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry is an excellent method for the differentiation of isobaric/isomeric phosphonium salts used in synthetic organic and industrial catalytic processes.     

Comparative study of organic dyes with time-of-flight static secondary ion mass spectrometry and related techniques

A series of cationic, zwitterionic and anionic fluorinated carbocyanine dyes, spin-coated on Si substrates, were measured with time-of-flight static secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-S-SIMS) under Ga(+) primary ion bombardment. Detailed fragmentation patterns were developed for all dyes measured. In the positive mode, the resulting spectra showed very intense signals for the precursor ions of the cationic dyes, whereas the protonated signals of the anionic dyes were hardly detected. Differences of three orders of magnitude were repeatedly observed for the secondary ion signal intensities of cationic and anionic dyes, respectively. All measured dyes yielded mass spectra containing several characteristic fragment ions. Although the secondary ion yields were still higher for the cationic than the anionic dye fragments, the difference was reduced to a factor of < or =10. This result and the fact that M(+), [M + H](+) or [M + 2H](+) are even-electron species make it very likely that the recorded fragments were not formed directly out of the (protonated) parent ions M(+), [M + H](+) or [M + 2H](+). In the negative mode, none of the recorded spectra contained molecular information. Only signals originating from some characteristic elements of the molecules (F, Cl), the anionic counter ion signal and some low-mass organic ions were detected. A comparative study was made between TOF-S-SIMS, using Ga(+) primary ions, and other mass spectrometric techniques, namely fast atom bombardment (FAB), electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI). The measurements showed that MALDI, ESI and FAB all give rise to spectra containing molecular ion signals. ESI and FAB produced M(+) and [M + H](+) signals, originating from the cationic and zwitterionic dyes, in the positive mode and M(-) and [M - H](-) signals of the anionic and zwitterionic dyes in the negative mode. With MALDI, molecular ion signals were measured in both modes for all the dyes. Structural fragment ions were detected for FAB, ESI and MALDI in both the positive and negative modes. Compared with the other techniques, TOF-S-SIMS induced a higher degree of fragmentation.     

Hydride abstraction in fast atom bombardment

Under fast atom bombardment conditions, compounds having long alkyl chains may exhibit [M ? H]⁺ as the major quasimolecular ion species, which can lead to incorrect assignment of molecular masses. It is shown that for a long-chain ether the loss of the hydride occurs from the hydrocarbon chain remote from the oxygen. This effect may yield information concerning ionization mechanisms in fast atom bombardment/mass spectrometry.     

Self-esterification of fulvic acid model compounds in methanolic solvents as observed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The self-esterification of two fulvic acid model compounds in methanolic solvents was studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The strongly acidic tetrahydrofurantetracarboxylic acid rapidly self-esterified to form mono- and dimethyl esters when stored in methanol, even at reduced temperatures. The weakly acidic analogue, cyclopentanetetracarboxylic acid, reacted minimally under the same conditions. The use of 50:50 methanol/water as a solvent reduced self-esterification of the strong acid. However, the presence of water promoted the formation of multiply charged ions in the ESI mass spectra. The use of water and 50:50 acetonitrile/water as solvents eliminated self-esterification but the mass spectra still contained multiply charged ions. This study implies that the use of methanolic solvents with humic substances may compromise analytical data through the formation of methyl esters.     

Fragmentations of peptide derivatives depending on the positions of proline in negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

Fragmentations of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-protected tripeptide ethyl esters, in which changes in the numbers and positions of prolyl residues were observed, were examined by negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. A significant difference was found among the intensities of the fragment ions formed by cleavage of the benzyloxycarbonyl group, depending on the numbers and positions of prolyl residues in the derivatives. These results suggest that the fragmentations of the peptide derivatives in negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry depend on the conformational differences in the peptide derivatives due to the existence of proline, and permit the prediction of the positions of proline in the peptides.     

Potential of electrospray mass spectrometry for structural studies of O-Glycoamino acids and -peptides with multiple α2,6-Sialosyl-Tn glycosylation

Non-derivatized O-glycosylated amino acids and peptides with multiple glycosylation yield molecular and fragment ions on electrospray ionization. Synthetic substrates were used to demonstrate the fragmentation behaviour of the sugar moiety in positive- and negative ion electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS) at low and high skimmer potentials. The ion sensitivity is higher compared than when using fast atom bombardment desorption. The potential of ESMS for the sequencing of O-glycans is discussed.     

Mass spectrometry of labile onium ions and carbocation salts. Study by desorption-ionization mass spectrometry: Fast atom bombardment,field desorption and 252Cf plasma desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry

In contrast to the accepted notion that mass spectrometry is impractical as an analytical tool in condensed-phase preparative carbocation chemistry, it has been shown that desorption ionization techniques (fast atom bombard-ment, field desorption and²⁵²Cf plasma desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry) provide rapid and reliable methods for relative molecular mass determination for a wide variety of highly unstable, fragile carbocation salts and onium ions. In addition, interesting fragment ions and cluster ions (two cations and one anion) are observed. Application of these methods to study several dication ether salts has also been demonstrated.     

Structural characterization of polyethers using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization quadrupole ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Fragmentation of polyethers, such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), poly(propylene glycol) and poly(tetramethylene glycol) was analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS/MS) using a quadrupole ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometer (QIT-ToF). The Li adduct ion provided more abundant fragments than the Na and K adduct ions in the MS/MS spectra. A previous study had demonstrated four series fragments of hydroxyl-, vinyl- and formyl-terminated ions, as well as distonic cations, in high-energy fast atom bombardment MS/MS and MALDI collision-induced dissociation measurements of poly(ethylene glycol). In the present study, the low-energy MS/MS measurements using MALDI-QIT-ToF, showed hydroxyl-, vinyl- and formyl- terminated fragments with or without other fragment groups, but not distonic cations. The fragmentation depended on the types of polyethers examined. MS/MS measurements using MALDI-QIT-ToF are expected to allow structural characterization of unknown components of polyethers.     

Structural Elucidation by Fast Atom Bombardment Mass Spectrometry of Multisulfated Oligosaccharides Isolated from Human Respiratory Mucous Glycoproteins

Abstract

Underivatized mono- and multisulfated oligosaccharides obtained by the alkalineborohydride treatment of human respiratory mucous glycoproteins were analyzed by positive ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB MS). Employing three unique and structurally homologous groups, the FAB mass spectra of a mono- and a disulfated tri- and tetrasaccharide and a mono-, di- and trisulfated branched hexasaccharide were compared. Each produced mass spectra displaying molecular weight-related and structurally significant fragment ions including fragments differing in mass by multiples of 102 amu reflecting the loss of one or more sulfate esters. From these data, combined with monosaccharide composition, the carbohydrate sequence and number and location of sulfate esters can readily be determined. These findings, with other chemical and enzymatic analyses, make FAB MS a valuable tool applicable to the unambiguous structural elucidation of underivatized reduced, linear and branched, mucous glycoprotein oligosaccharides that vary in degree of sulfation.     

Comparison of Electrospray Ionization and Fast Atom Bombardment Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of Saponins from Alfalfa,Clover, and Mungbeans

The determination of seven saponins in crude plant extracts by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) is described. Distinct protonated and natriated (Na-adduct) molecular ions in ESI-MS spectra readily provide molecular weight information, which can be further verified using clusters of molecular ions. Saponin mixtures can be analyzed by ESIMS on varying the potential difference between the capillary and skimmer in the ESI source to decompose impurities. ESI-MS uses less amount of sample than that required by FAB-MS. ESI-MS does not produce structural information, however. The FAB-MS spectra consist mainly of protonated and deprotonated molecular ions with limited structural information. (-)-FAB-MS is more suitable for analyzing saponin samples than the (+)-FAB-MS.     

Fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry employing ion-molecule reactions for the differentiation of phospholipid classes

Fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry, employing ion-molecule reactions with ethyl vinyl ether in a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer, is used to differentiate classes of phospholipids. The phospholipids are desorbed and ionized by fast atom bombardment, mass-selected by the first quadrupole, and reacted with ethyl vinyl ether in the second quadrupole; the resulting product ions are analyzed by the third quadrupole. The protonated molecules and reaction product ions observed permit the differentiation of various phospholipid classes. The pattern of addition reaction products formed is shown to depend solely on the functionality of the lipid polar head group and not on the fatty acyl constituents. Neutral gain scans that are specific for each phospholipid class are performed. Ion dissociation products are observed in the same scan as the ion reaction products to provide data on the fatty acyl composition and position on the glycerophosphate core along with the phospholipid class. Although this method is less sensitive than neutral loss scanning for most phospholipid classes, it can (1) identify phospholipids that do not readily lose their head group as a neutral fragment and (2) detect phospholipids in mixtures containing species that give interfering neutral losses.     

Collisional-activated decomposition of benzyloxycarbonyl-protected tripeptide derivatives containing proline in fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

The effect on the fragmentations of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-protected tripeptide ethyl esters due to the existence of L -proline in the gas phase was examined by the collisional-activated decomposition of the deprotonated molecule and the fragment ions produced by the cleavage of the tripeptide derivatives containing the neutral amino acids (L -alanine, L -leucine and L -phenylalanine) and L -proline, in which changes in both the numbers and positions of the prolyl residues were observed, in negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The cleavage patterns of these ions in the collisional-activated decomposition mass spectra were observed to depend on the numbers and positions of prolyl residues in the peptide derivatives. These results indicate that the conformational differences in the peptide derivatives due to the existence of L -proline affect the decomposition of the ions containing the neutral amino acids in the gas phase.     

Structural determination of lysophosphatidylcholines extracted from marine sponges by fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry

A series of lysophosphatidylcholines were isolated from the marine sponge Spirastrella abata by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and analyzed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS). Their structural elucidation was carried out with fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry (FAB-MS/MS). The collision-induced dissociation (CID) of protonated and sodiated molecular ions produced diverse product ions via a series of dissociative processes. Because of the positive charge of the amine group at the end of the molecules, charge-remote fragmentation patterns of specific ions, [M + H](+) or [M + Na](+), were very helpful for the identification of product ions which are characteristic for choline and long hydrocarbon chains substituted at the glycerol back bone. Moreover, the CID-MS/MS spectra of sodium adducted molecular ions for lysophosphatidylcholines yielded common characteristic fragment ions for the choline moiety and characteristic ions [M + Na-103](+), [M + Na-85](+) and [M + Na-59](+) in the higher mass region.     

Characterization of poly(ethylene glycol) esters using low energy collision-induced dissociation in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A method of characterizing polyglycol esters, an important class of industrial polymer, has been developed using electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI ITMS). The fragmentation behavior of polyglycol esters is found to be different from that of polyglycols whose functional end groups are linked to the polymer chain via ether bonds (i.e., polyglycol ethers). The fragmentation pattern of an oligomer ion generated by low-energy collision-induced dissociation is strongly dependent on the type of cation used for ionization. It is shown that structural information on the polymer chain and end groups is best obtained by examining the fragment ion spectra of oligomers ionized by ammonium, alkali, and transition metal ions. The application of this method is demonstrated in the analysis of two surfactants based on fatty acid methyl ester ethoxylates.     

Fast atom bombardment mass spectra of iodonium salts

Positive-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectra and linked-scan tandem mass spectra were measured for aromatic iodonium salts. The mass spectra usually contain the intact cation of the iodonium salt as the base peak, fragment ions of lower abundance resulting from simple cleavages or rearrangements, and a characteristic loss of atomic iodine. High-level semi-empirical calculations suggest that an obtuse ring? I⁺? ring angle facilitates loss of atomic iodine through concomitant ring? to? ring bond formation.     

High- and low-energy collisionally activated decompositions of octaethylporphyrin and its metal complexes

High-energy (HE) and low-energy (LE) collisionally activated decompositions of octaethylporphyrin (OEP) and its metal complexes (ZnOEP and CuOEP) depend on whether the precursor is produced by electrospray ionization as protonated molecules or by fast atom bombardment as radical cations or protonated molecules. LE activation leads to such simple product-ion spectra that a complete picture of fragmentation emerges only after nine stages of tandem mass spectrometry (MS⁹). HE activation, on the other hand, gives product-ion spectra that afford an integrated view of all the decomposition channels in a single MS/MS experiment. These results are the basis of a recommendation that OEP is an appropriate model compound for investigating energy effects in the collisional activation of organic and bioorganic molecule ions.     

Charge remote fragmentation of peptides following attachment of a fixed positive charge: A matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization postsource decay study

A fixed positive charge can be placed at the N-terminus of a peptide by addition of a tris[(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)phosphonium]acetyl group. The usefulness of these charged derivatives has been demonstrated in fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. After ion formation and acceleration, these derivatized peptide ions dissociate and their fragment ions can be analyzed in a postsource decay experiment by using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-postsource decay spectra are very different from what may be expected based on fragment ions observed from protonated peptide molecules. Cleavage of CHR-C(O) bonds dominates to form a series of a type ions. Mechanistic possibilities are evaluated. When aspartic acid residues are encountered, the chemistry radically changes. This appears to be due to the formation of geometrically accessible intermediates that can dissociate via low energy processes. This chargeremote chemistry parallels that for much simpler systems, resulting in spectra that are very easy to interpret.