Decomposition of protonated noradrenaline and normetanephrine assisted by NH2 migration studied by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and molecular orbital calculations

As part of a research program on neurotransmitters in a biological fluid, the fragmentations characterising catecholamines protonated under electrospray ionisation (ESI) conditions, under low collision energy in a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer, were investigated. The decompositions of protonated noradrenaline (VH) and normetanephrine (VIH) were studied. Both precursor ions eliminate first H2O at very low collision energy, and the fragmentations of [MH-H2O]+ occur at higher collision energy. The breakdown graphs of [MH-H2O]+ ions, with collision energy varying from 0-40 eV in the laboratory frame, are presented. [VIH-H2O]+ ions lose competitively NH3 and CH3OH. For [VH-H2O]+ the loss of NH3 is dominant while H2O is eliminated at very low abundance at all collision energies. All of these secondary fragmentations are followed at higher collision energies by elimination of CO. These fragmentations are interpreted by means of ab initio calculations up to the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,2p) level of theory. The elimination of H2O requires first the isomerisation of N-protonated forms, chosen as energy references, to O-protonated forms. The isomerisation barriers are calculated to be lower than 81 kJ/mol above the N-protonated forms. The elimination of NH3 from [MH-H2O]+ requires first the migration, via a cyclisation, of the amine function from the linear chain to the aromatic ring in order to prevent the formation of unstable disubstituted carbocations in the ring. The barriers associated with the loss of NH3 are located 220 and 233 kJ/mol above VH and 219 kJ/mol above VIH. The energy barrier for the loss of ROH is located 236 and 228 kJ/mol above VH and VIH, respectively. The absence of ions corresponding to [VH-2H2O]+ is due to a parasitic mechanism with an activation barrier lower than 236 kJ/mol that leads to a stable species unable to fragment, thus preventing the second loss of H2O. Losses of CO following the secondary fragmentations involve activation barriers higher than 330 kJ/mol.     

Mecanismes de Fragmentation de l'Oxazole

The fragmentation mechanisms of oxazole have been studied in detail on using various experimental techniques (refocusing of metastable ions, deuteration, AP measurements) and by theoretical calculations.     

Dissociations of positively charged aliphatic epoxides. I. Structure elucidation of the γ-cleavage products

Dissociative ionization of 1,2-epoxy n-alkanes gives rise to abundant [C₄H₇O]⁺ ions of structure [CH₃OCHCHCH₂]⁺. This conclusion is drawn from metastable ion analysis and from collisional activation spectra. This fragmentation involves the C? C ring opening and a 1,4-H migration leading to the corresponding enol ether [CH₃OCHCHCH₂R]^+. precursor of [CH₃OCHCHCH₂]⁺ fragment. The same isomerization scheme applies to 1,2-epoxy methyl substituted alkanes and 2,3-epoxy n-alkanes.     

Differentiation among some isomeric di- and trifunctional aromatic amines by plasma desorption mass spectrometry

Isomeric di- and trifunctional aromatic amines are easily differentiated on the basis of their plasma desorption (PD) mass spectra. Six series of aromatic amines were studied in the positive-ion mode. In each series, the differences observed in the PD mass spectra allow each isomer to be characterized. In the formation of molecular ions, these differences proceed from the competition between electron impact ionization and protonation. Several chemoselective or regioselective reactions such as hydrogenation, hydration, dimerization and some fragmentations also allow isomeric aromatic amines to be differentiated.     

Use of diagnostic neutral losses for structural information on unknown aromatic metabolites: an experimental and theoretical study

This work presents the use of neutral losses (NL) for the identification of compounds related to the metabolism of tyrosine. The mass spectra of all the studied compounds, recorded at several collision energies, are compared. The fragmentation mechanism of protonated molecules, MH⁺, is explained by combining collision‐induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results show that the first fragmentation is the elimination from MH⁺ of a neutral molecule including a functional group of the linear chain. Three primary neutral losses are observed: 17 u (NH₃), 18 u (H₂O) and 46 u (H₂O+CO) characterizing amino, hydroxyl and carboxylic functions on the linear chain. The presence and abundance of ions corresponding to these losses are dependent on (i) the position of the functional group on the linear chain, (ii) the initial localisation of the protonating hydrogen, and (iii) the substitution of the aromatic ring. For compounds including a functional group on the benzylic carbon atom, the investigation of the other functions requires the knowledge of secondary fragmentations. Among these secondary fragmentations we have retained the loss of NH₃ from [MH–18u]⁺ and the loss of ketene from [MH–17u]⁺. Experimentally these fragmentations are detected using losses of 35 u and 59/73 u. In other words, NL35 identifies hydroxy and amino compounds and NL 46 and/or NL59/73 identify carboxylic acids. The search for characteristic neutral losses is used for the analysis of compounds in a mixture and the analysis of biological fluid. We show that selective search of several neutral losses allows also the unambiguous differentiation of isomers and gives the opportunity to identify compounds in biological fluids. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interaction of remote functional groups (amide and amine) in steroidal compounds after electron ionization

Electron impact ionization of steroidal compounds with two diferently substituted functional groups (amide and amine) at remote positions leads to the interaction of these groups in ion-neutral complexes after the detachment of one of them. Two situations may be encountered, depending on which group is more easily detached from low-energy parent ions: (i) when the formation of the immonium ion is preferred, a very efficient proton transfer to the amide is observed leading to abundant [M? imine]^+· and subsequent daughter ions; (ii) when the detachment of the amide is preferred, hydrogen exchanges occur with the amine group, and fragment ions may be observed resulting from the addition of both groups in a proton-bound structure.     

Structures and stabilities of [C3H3O]+ ions in the gas phase: A molecular orbital study

The relative energies of 11 [C₃H₃O]⁺ ions are calculated by different molecular orbital methods (MINDO/3, MNDO, ab initio with 3-21G and 4-31G* basis set and configuration interaction). The four most stable structures are: a ([CH₂?CH? CO]⁺), b c ([CH?C? CHOH]⁺) and d ([CH₂?C?COH]⁺); their relative energies at the CI/4-31G*//3-21G level are 0, 117, 171 and 218 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The isomerizations c→[CH?CH? CHO]⁺→[CH₂?C? CHO]⁺→ a and dissociations into [C₂H₃]⁺+CO and [HCO]⁺+C₂H₂ are explored. The calculated potential energy profile reveals that the energy-determining step is the 1,3-H migration c→[CH?CH? CHO]⁺. This explains the value of unity of the branching ratio and the spread of kinetic energy released for the two dissociation channels.     

Spectrometrie de Masse des Epoxydes Phenyles—II

The fragmentation of aromatic epoxides proceeds either directly through loss of one molecule of aldehyde or ketone which leads to a symmetrical ion, or through rearrangement of the molecular ion into the isomeric carbonyl radical ion. Substituents on the aromatic ring have a marked influence on the fragmentation.     

Interface Design Enabling Stable Polymer/Thiophosphate Electrolyte Separators for Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Batteries

Organic/inorganic interfaces greatly affect Li⁺ transport in composite solid electrolytes (SEs), while SE/electrode interfacial stability plays a critical role in the cycling performance of solid-state batteries (SSBs). However, incomplete understanding of interfacial (in)stability hinders the practical application of composite SEs in SSBs. Herein, chemical degradation between Li₆PS₅Cl (LPSCl) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is revealed. The high polarity of PEG changes the electronic state and structural bonding of the PS₄³⁻ tetrahedra, thus triggering a series of side reactions. A substituted terminal group of PEG not only stabilizes the inner interfaces but also extends the electrochemical window of the composite SE. Moreover, a LiF-rich layer can effectively prevent side reactions at the Li/SE interface. The results provide insights into the chemical stability of polymer/sulfide composites and demonstrate an interface design to achieve dendrite-free lithium metal batteries.