Studies on Triterpenoids and Flavones in Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. By HPLC-ESI-MSn and FT-ICR-MSn

应用高效液相色谱质谱联用方法(HPLC-ESI-MSn)研究了甘草提取物中的七种化合物,四种三萜类化合物和三种黄酮类化合物。通过多极串联质谱(ESI-MSn)和多极串联傅里叶变换回旋共振质谱(FT-ICR-MSn)法研究了它们的碎裂规律。通过比较保留时间和质谱数据对上述七种化合物进行了归属,并阐述了其可能的质谱裂解途径。以上结果显示ESI-MSn和FT-ICR-MSn是非常有效的分析三萜类化合物和黄酮类化合物结构的工具。     

Determination of n-Alkanes in Jet Fuel by Cold-electron Ionization Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

A rapid, easy, and reliable method was developed for the characterization of jet fuel with minimal sample preparation. A standard solution of 13 aliphatic n-alkanes in hexane was used to evaluate and validate the separation using cold-electron ionization gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The method was evaluated and validated by the linearity, accuracy, and precision for all analytes. The limits of detection and quantification for each n-alkane were also evaluated. Nine major n-alkanes from n-octane to n-hexadecane were positively identified and quantified in jet fuel due to the enhanced molecular ion in the mass spectra. Major n-alkanes and their corresponding isomers in jet fuel were also identified from the extracted ion chromatograms. n-Undecane, n-dodecane, n-tridecane, and n-tetradecane were present at the highest concentrations in jet fuel at approximately 7% (v/v). The total concentrations of total straight chain alkanes were 34–37% in jet fuel that was comparable with the standard value of 32%.     

The negative ion mass spectra of mixtures of sulphur and organic compounds. I—The formation of [M+Sn]− from the mixture of sulphur and dinitriles

The negative ion mass spectra of sulphur, dinitriles and their mixtures were studied. The abundance of negative ions of sulphur was almost comparable to that of positive ions. In the negative ion mass spectrum of a mixture of sulphur and dinitrile, intense and characteristic peaks of [M + S_n]^? (n = 2, 3, 4, etc.) were observed resulting from ion–molecule association of dinitrile with the S_n^? anions. As a standard sample of a negative ion mass spectrum, sulphur itself has proved useful in the lower mass region (below m/e 256: S₈^?).     

Peculiarities of asphaltene precipitation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-alkane-oil systems

n-Pentane-, n-hexane-, and n-heptane-insoluble asphaltenes obtained via a standard procedure by precipitating from oil solutions in n-pentane, n-hexane, and n-heptane, respectively, as well as n-pentane/n-hexane/n-heptane-insoluble and n-heptane/n-hexane/n-pentane-insoluble asphaltene constituents prepared through successive washing (fractional dissolution) of n-pentane-insoluble asphaltenes with n-hexane and n-heptane and n-heptane-insoluble asphaltenes with n-hexane and n-pentane, respectively, are studied. Asphaltenes and their constituents extracted from three oils distinguished by high contents of asphaltenes, resins, and paraffins, respectively, are investigated by ¹H NMR spectroscopy in carbon tetrachloride solutions. It is established that the mass fractions and the fragment compositions of asphaltenes and their constituents depend on both the type of oil and the procedure of their preparation; i.e., the precipitation from n-alkane-oil systems or the extraction through the successive washing with a series of n-alkanes. The obtained experimental data made it possible to formulate a hypothesis according to which the precipitation of asphaltenes from oils is controlled by not only the dissolving power of a solvent with respect to molecular components of initial oils, but also (and primarily) by the dissolving power of a solvent with respect to supramolecular structures of asphaltenes formed in n-alkane-oil systems.     

Alternative interpretations of the mole and the ideal gas equation

The fundamental concept of the mole stems from the idea of the gram-atom (or gram-molecule): that an amount of one mole of a given substance has an associated mass, in grams, numerically exactly equal to the relative atomic (or molecular) mass of the substance. This means that the particular number of entities comprising one mole, Avogadro’s number, must be exactly equal to the gram-to-dalton mass ratio. Various interpretations of what a mole actually means and how this affects the ideal gas equation depend on how the amount of a given substance, n, is related to the corresponding number of entities, N. We look at three alternatives: (1) the conventional interpretation in which n is directly proportional to N, where the proportionality factor is the reciprocal of the (evidently poorly understood) Avogadro constant; (2) a more easily comprehended alternative in which n is equal to N entities; and (3) an interpretation in which n and N both represent the number of entities, but expressed in different ways. Regardless of these different interpretations, the form of the stoichiometric equations (relating N, n and the total sample mass) and the form of the relationship between the universal gas constant and the Boltzmann constant remain the same.     

Phosphinoyl and Thiophosphinoylcarbodithioates: Synthesis,Molecular Structure,and Application as New Efficient Mediators for RAFT Polymerization

New phosphinoyl and thiophosphinoylcarbodithioates were synthesized in a one‐pot reaction from the corresponding phosphinochalcogenides. Compounds of this new generation of thiocarbonylthio derivatives have been fully characterized by IR as well as ¹H, ³¹P, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and by mass spectrometry. Their solid‐state structures reveal that they are isostructural but crystallize in different space groups. These new compounds are highly efficient reversible chain‐transfer agents for the reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of styrene (St) and n‐butyl acrylate (nBA), with controlled number‐average molecular weights (M_n) and narrow dispersity values (Ð<1.3). The controlled character of the polymerization was further exemplified by MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry and the synthesis of PSt‐P(nBA) diblock copolymers.     

六～八元瓜环与咪唑[4,5-f]-1',10'-菲咯啉衍生物的相互作用

合成了2-苯基-咪唑[4,5-f]-1',10'-菲咯啉和对二甲氨基-2-苯基-咪唑[4,5-f]-1',10'-菲咯啉两种咪唑[4,5-f]-1',10'-菲咯啉衍生物, 并经过一、二维核磁共振谱以及质谱方法的验证. 利用¹H NMR、质谱以及紫外可见分光光度法, 考察了以六～八元瓜环为主体, 咪唑[4,5-f]-1',10'-菲咯啉衍生物为客体的作用体系, 以及形成的主客体包结配合物的结构特征. 研究结果表明: 三种瓜环均与2-苯基-咪唑[4,5-f]-1',10'-菲咯啉发生相互作用, 客体以较小的苯基一端穿过瓜环内腔直至苯基部分和菲咯啉部分分别露置在瓜环的两个端口外, 特别是八元瓜环能容纳两个客体分子. 而对二甲氨基-2-苯基-咪唑[4,5-f]-1',10'-菲咯啉仅能与七及八元瓜环相互作用, 作用模式与前者相同.     

Effect of method of ion preparation on low-energy collision-induced dissociation mass spectra

The collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra of protonated cocaine and protonated heroin have been measured using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer at 50 eV ion/neutral collision energy for protonated molecules prepared by different protonating agents. The CID mass spectra of protonated cocaine using H⁺(H₂O)_n, H⁺(NH₃)_n and H⁺((CH₃)₂NH)_n as protonating agents are essentially identical and it is concluded that, regardless of the initial site of protonation, the fragmentation reactions occurring on collisional activation are identical. By contrast, protonated heorin prepared with H⁺(H₂O)_n and H⁺(NH₃)_n as protonating agents show substantial differences. That formed by reaction of H⁺(H₂O)_n shows a much more abundant peak corresponding to loss of CH₃CO₂H. From a comparison with model compounds, and from a consideration of the three-dimensional structure of heroin, it is concluded that with H⁺(H₂O)_n as protonating agent significant protonation occurs at the acetate group attached to the alicyclic ring, leading to acetic acid loss on collisional activation, but that reaction of H⁺(NH₃)_n leads to protonation at the nitrogen function. The proton attached to nitrogen cannot interact with the acetate group and, consequently, the probability of loss of acetic acid on collislional activation is greatly reduced.     

Mass spectrometric studies—II: Mass spectrometric studies of maleimides and benzaldazine adducts. Identification of solid mixtues

It has been found by mass spectrometric studies that the so-called ‘1:1-adduct’ formed by N-( nbutyl)maleimide and benzaldazine, is in fact a solid mixture of one part bis-imide L and one part benzaldazine. Bis-imide L is one of the three stereoisomeric products obtained by the addition of two mole of N-( n-butyl)malemide and one mole of benzaldazine. The three stereoisomeric bis-imides gave identical mass spectra. Mass spectra of bis-imide M and bis-imide M- d2 are discussed, and confirm the proposed structures of perhydroprazolo-pyrazole derivatives for these 1:2-adducts.     

Structures and thermochemistry of ions formed by methane chemical ionization of Fe(CO)5. Site of protonation and determination of Fe?H and Fe?CO bond dissociation energies of HFe(CO)n+ ions

High-energy collisional activation mass spectrometry of HFe(CO)₅⁺ ions shows that Fe(CO)₅ is protonated on the iron atom rather than on one of the ligands. This finding is supported by ab initio quantum chemical calculations. The value of the proton affinity of Fe(CO)₅ was measured by high-pressure mass spectrometry to be 857 kJ mol^?1. The Fe? CO bond dissociation energies for HFe(CO)_n⁺ (n = 1–5) were measured by energy-variable low-energy collisional activation mass spectrometry. The Fe? H bond dissociation energies in HFe(CO)_n⁺ ions were also determined. A synergistic effect on the strengths of the Fe? H and Fe? CO bonds in HFe(CO)⁺ is noticed. It is demonstrated that the electronically unsaturated species HFe(CO)_n⁺ (n = 3, 4) formed in exothermic proton-transfer reactions with Fe(CO)₅ form adducts with CH₄. Adducts between C₂H₅⁺ or C₃H₅⁺ and Fe(CO)_n are observed. These adducts are probably formed in direct reactions between the respective carbocations and Fe(CO)₅.     

A new method for analysis of disulfide-containing proteins by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry

A simple and high-throughput method for the identification of disulfide-containing peptides utilizing peptide-matrix adducts is described. Some commonly used matrices in MALDI mass spectrometry were found to specifically react with sulfhydryl groups within peptide, thus allowing the observation of the peptide-matrix adduct ion [M+n+n′ matrix+H]⁺ or [M+n+n′ matrix+Na]⁺ (n = the number of cysteine residues, n′=1, 2,…, n) in MALDI mass spectra after chemical reduction of disulfide-linked peptides. Among several matrices tested, α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA, molecular mass 189 Da) and α-cyano-3-hydroxycinnamic acid (3-HCCA) were found to be more effective for MALDI analysis of disulfide-containing peptides/proteins. Two reduced cysteines involved in a disulfide bridge resulted in a mass shift of 189 Da per cysteine, so the number of disulfide bonds could then be determined, while for the other matrices (sinapinic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid), a similar addition reaction could not occur unless the reaction was carried out under alkaline conditions. The underlying mechanism of the reaction of the matrix addition at sulfhydryl groups is proposed, and several factors that might affect the formation of the peptide-matrix adducts were investigated. In general, this method is fast, effective, and robust to identify disulfide bonds in proteins/peptides.     

Structural elucidation of diglycosyl diacylglycerol and monoglycosyl diacylglycerol from Streptococcus pneumoniae by multiple‐stage linear ion‐trap mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization

The cell wall of the pathogenic bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae contains glucopyranosyl diacylglycerol (GlcDAG) and galactoglucopyranosyldiacylglycerol (GalGlcDAG). The specific GlcDAG consisting of vaccenic acid substituent at sn‐2 was recently identified as another glycolipid antigen family recognized by invariant natural killer T‐cells. Here, we describe a linear ion‐trap multiple‐stage (MSⁿ) mass spectrometric approach towards structural analysis of GalGlcDAG and GlcDAG. Structural information derived from MSⁿ (n = 2, 3) on the [M + Li]⁺ adduct ions desorbed by electrospray ionization affords identification of the fatty acid substituents, assignment of the fatty acyl groups on the glycerol backbone, as well as the location of double bond along the fatty acyl chain. The identification of the fatty acyl groups and determination of their regio‐specificity were confirmed by MSⁿ (n = 2, 3) on the [M + NH₄]⁺ ions. We establish the structures of GalGlcDAG and GlcDAG isolated from S. pneumoniae, in which the major species consists of a 16:1‐ or 18:1‐fatty acid substituent mainly at sn‐2, and the double bond of the fatty acid is located at ω‐7 (n‐7). More than one isomers were found for each mass in the family. This mass spectrometric approach provides a simple method to achieve structure identification of this important lipid family that would be very difficult to define using the traditional method. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemical ionization mass spectrometry—XIX: n-hexane and n-octane as reactants

The suitability of n-hexane and n-octane as reactant gases in chemical ionization mass spectrometry has been investigated. The mass spectra of these substances have been investigated as a function of pressure up to 2·4 Torr for n-hexane and 1·7 Torr for n-octane. The major ion present in n-hexane at 0·8 Torr is [C₆H₁₃]⁺ (m/e 85) with a relative intensity of 0·65. In n-octane at 0·8 Torr the major ions are [C₈H₁₇]⁺ (m/e 113), [C₆H₁₃]⁺ (m/e 85) and [C₅H₁₁]⁺ (m/e 71). The relative intensities of these ions are 0·38, 0·12 and 0·19, respectively. These alkyl ions in both n-hexane and n-octane are thought to have tertiary structures. Rate constants for the rates of reaction of the primary ions in the two compounds have been determined. The n-hexane chemical ionization spectra of 26 compounds were determined. The spectra of polar compounds are dominated by proton transfer, whereas those of nonpolar compounds exhibit proton transfer and in addition often surprisingly large amounts of electron transfer. The n-octane chemical ionization spectra of 15 compounds were determined and the spectra in general are quite similar to those obtained with n-hexane. n-Hexane and n-octane can be used as reagents in analytical chemical ionization mass spectrometry, but except in certain specialized uses they would probably have no advantage over i-butane.     

Determination of ion structures in structurally related compounds using precursor ion fingerprinting

Structurally-related alkaloids were analyzed by electrospray ionization/multiple stage mass spectrometry (ESI/MS ⁿ ) at varying collision energies to demonstrate a conceptual algorithm, precursor ion fingerprinting (PIF). PIF is a new approach for interpreting and library-searching ESI mass spectra predicated on the precursor ions of structurally-related compounds and their matching product ion spectra. Multiple-stage mass spectra were compiled and constructed into “spectral trees” that illustrated the compounds’ product ion spectra in their respective mass spectral stages. The precursor ions of these alkaloids were characterized and their spectral trees incorporated into an MS ⁿ library. These data will be used to construct a universal, searchable, and transferable library of MS ⁿ spectra. In addition, PIF will generate a proposed structural arrangement utilizing previously characterized ion structures, which will assist in the identification of unknown compounds.     

Reaction studies of carbon clusters

Reaction studies of carbon clustersC _n in the rangen=8–37, produced by laser vaporisation in a supersonic nozzle, have been investigated using time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Clear differences in reaction products formed on hydrogenation are detected which show that even and odd clusters behave quite differently and furthermore thatat least two different types of even cluster appear to exist. The reactivity patterns for clusters C _n withn=16, 18 and 22 are in a different class from those withn=20, 24, 26 ..., a behaviour consistent with the existence of closed cage fullerene structures for even clusters with 20 or more carbon atoms (other thann=22).     

Ion mobility-mass spectrometry analysis of isomeric carbohydrate precursor ions

The rapid separation of isomeric precursor ions of oligosaccharides prior to their analysis by mass spectrometry to the nth power (MS ⁿ ) was demonstrated using an ambient pressure ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) interfaced with a quadrupole ion trap. Separations were not limited to specific types of isomers; representative isomers differing solely in the stereochemistry of sugars, in their anomeric configurations, and in their overall branching patterns and linkage positions could be resolved in the millisecond time frame. Physical separation of precursor ions permitted independent mass spectra of individual oligosaccharide isomers to be acquired to at least MS³, the number of stages of dissociation limited only practically by the abundance of specific product ions. IMS–MS ⁿ analysis was particularly valuable in the evaluation of isomeric oligosaccharides that yielded identical sets of product ions in tandem mass spectrometry experiments, revealing pairs of isomers that would otherwise not be known to be present in a mixture if evaluated solely by MS dissociation methods alone. A practical example of IMS–MSⁿ analysis of a set of isomers included within a single high-performance liquid chromatography fraction of oligosaccharides released from bovine submaxillary mucin is described.     

Adduct ion formation by metal complexes under methane negative chemical ionization conditions

Negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry is used as a probe to examine reactions between hydrocarbon radicals and metal complexes in the gas phase. The methane negative chemical ionization mass spectra of 27 complexes of cobalt(II ), nickel(II ) and copper(II ) in the presence of O₄, O₂N₂ and N₄ donor atom sets are characterized by two dominant series of adduct ions of the form [M + C_nH_2n]^? and [M + C_nH_2n+1]^? at m/z values above the molecular ion, [M]^?. Insertion of the CH radical into the ligand followed by radical/radical recombination and electron capture is proposed as the major mechanism leading to the formation of [M + C_nH_2n]^? adduct ions. A second pathway involves ligand substitution by C_nH_2n+1 radicals concomitant with H elimination and electron capture. Oxidative addition at the metal followed by ionization is suggested as the principal pathway for the formation of [M + C_nH_2n+1]^? adduct ions.     

Beta‐decomposition for the volume and area of the union of three‐dimensional balls and their offsets

Given a set of spherical balls, called atoms, in three‐dimensional space, its mass properties such as the volume and the boundary area of the union of the atoms are important for many disciplines, particularly for computational chemistry/biology and structural molecular biology. Despite many previous studies, this seemingly easy problem of computing mass properties has not been well‐solved. If the mass properties of the union of the offset of the atoms are to be computed as well, the problem gets even harder. In this article, we propose algorithms that compute the mass properties of both the union of atoms and their offsets both correctly and efficiently. The proposed algorithms employ an approach, called the Beta‐decomposition, based on the recent theory of the beta‐complex. Given the beta‐complex of an atom set, these algorithms decompose the target mass property into a set of primitives using the simplexes of the beta‐complex. Then, the molecular mass property is computed by appropriately summing up the mass property corresponding to each simplex. The time complexity of the proposed algorithm is O(m) in the worst case where m is the number of simplexes in the beta‐complex that can be efficiently computed from the Voronoi diagram of the atoms. It is known in ?³ that m = O(n) on average for biomolecules and m = O(n²) in the worst case for general spheres where n is the number of atoms. The theory is first introduced in ?² and extended to ?³. The proposed algorithms were implemented into the software BetaMass and thoroughly tested using molecular structures available in the Protein Data Bank. BetaMass is freely available at the Voronoi Diagram Research Center web site. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Characteristic features of mass-spectra of some nitroxide radicals

Some compounds containing mono- and polynitroxide radicals have been investigated and characterized by electron ionization (EI), chemical ionization (CI), and matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. Some characteristics of the mass spectra of these radicals are demonstrated. It was found that, under CI and MALDI conditions, ions [M+nH]⁺ are formed along with monoprotonated molecules [M+H]⁺, depending on the type of the radical n = 2–5.     

Utility of reaction intermediate monitoring with photodissociation multi-stage (MS) time-of-flight mass spectrometry for mechanistic and structural studies: Phosphopeptides

In tandem mass spectra of phosphopeptides, intact sequence ions are often missing or appear weakly. Instead, dephosphorylated sequence ions appear prominently. In this work, we used photodissociation (PD) multi-stage (MSⁿ) time-of-flight mass spectrometry that can monitor reaction intermediates with lifetime as short as 100 ns to study the formation of dephosphorylated sequence ions such as y_n-H₃PO₄. y_n-H₃PO₄ was found to be formed mainly by H₃PO₄ loss from y_n. For doubly phosphorylated peptides, y_n seemed to lose H₃PO₄ stepwise and form y_n-H₃PO₄ and y_n-2H₃PO₄. Even when y_n was absent in PD-MS² spectrum, its m/z could be predicted from those of y_n-H₃PO₄ and/or y_n-2H₃PO₄. Complete sequence coverage was possible when the data from PD-MS² and PD-MS³ were combined, demonstrating the utility of transient ion detection by PD-MS³ for structure analysis.