Multiple‐stage linear ion‐trap with high resolution mass spectrometry towards complete structural characterization of phosphatidylethanolamines containing cyclopropane fatty acyl chain in Leishmania infantum

The structures of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in Leishmania infantum are unique in that they consist of a rare cyclopropane fatty acid (CFA) containing PE subfamily, including CFA‐containing plasmalogen PE species. In this contribution, we applied multiple‐stage linear ion‐trap combined with high‐resolution mass spectrometry to define the structures of PEs that were desorbed as [M – H]^? and [M – H + 2Li]⁺ ions by ESI, respectively. The structural information arising from MSⁿ on both the molecular species are complimentary, permitting complete determination of PE structures, including the identities of the fatty acid substituents and their location on the glycerol backbone, more importantly, the positions of the double bond(s) and of the cyclopropane chain of the fatty acid chain, directing to the realization of the CFA biosynthesis pathways that were reported previously. We also uncovered the presence of a minor dimethyl‐PE subclass that has not been previously reported in L. infantum. This LIT MSⁿ mass spectrometric approach led to unambiguous identification of PE molecules including many isomers in complex mixture that would otherwise be very difficult to define using other analytical approaches. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of modification sites on human serum albumin and human hemoglobin adducts with houttuynin using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

Houttuynin, a β‐keto aldehyde compound, is the major active ingredient in herba houttuyniae injection. The injection was once used as an anti‐inflammatory drug associated with occasional serious hypersensitivity reactions in the clinic, which were proposed to be related to the formation of protein adducts. N^α‐Boc‐lysine, FEEM and IVTNTT were used as model amino acids or peptides containing one nucleophilic residue to investigate adduct types by liquid chromatography coupled with ion trap mass spectrometry (LC/MSⁿ) and high‐resolution quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (Q‐TOF MS). These adducts were respectively characterized as Schiff bases formed by 1:1 reaction of houttuynin with lysine or N‐terminal residue and pyridinium adducts by 2:1 reaction. LC/MSⁿ analysis of trypsin digests of HSA/Hb incubations with houttuynin revealed that houttuynin‐modified HSA adducts were formed mainly at N‐terminal amino acid and lysine residues, specifically at Lys‐212, Lys‐414 and Lys‐525 for Schiff base adducts, and at Lys‐414 and Lys‐432 for pyridinium adducts, and houttuynin adducted more readily with N‐terminal valine of the α‐ and β‐chains in Hb and lysine amine (Lys‐62) of the β‐chain for Schiff base adducts. The results showed the direct modification of houttuynin to HSA/Hb in vitro, which was speculated to be responsible for the adverse reactions induced by houttuyniae injection. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

二肽衍生物的电喷雾质谱研究

基于HIV整合酶核心结构域,合成了以HIV整合酶为靶标的二肽衍生物,采用多级质谱技术（二级、三级）研究二肽衍生物在质谱条件下的化学键断裂途径,发现主要的断裂方式为：氨基与羰基间的NH-CO键的断裂以及N-(苯并噻唑-2-基)甲酰氨基与亚甲基间的CO-C间的断裂。     

Approach to the study of flavone di‐C‐glycosides by high performance liquid chromatography‐tandem ion trap mass spectrometry and its application to characterization of flavonoid composition in Viola yedoensis

The mass spectrometric (MS) analysis of flavone di‐C‐glycosides has been a difficult task due to pure standards being unavailable commercially and to that the reported relative intensities of some diagnostic ions varied with MS instruments. In this study, five flavone di‐C‐glycoside standards from Viola yedoensis have been systematically studied by high performance liquid chromatography‐electrospray ionization‐tandem ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC‐ESI‐IT‐MSⁿ) in the negative ion mode to analyze their fragmentation patterns. A new MS² and MS³ hierarchical fragmentation for the identification of the sugar nature (hexoses or pentoses) at C‐6 and C‐8 is presented based on previously established rules of fragmentation. Here, for the first time, we report that the MS² and MS³ structure‐diagnostic fragments about the glycosylation types and positions are highly dependent on the configuration of the sugars at C‐6 and C‐8. The base peak (^0,2X₁^0,2X₂^? ion) in MS³ spectra of di‐C‐glycosides could be used as a diagnostic ion for flavone aglycones. These newly proposed fragmentation behaviors have been successfully applied to the characterization of flavone di‐C‐glycosides found in V. yedoensis. A total of 35 flavonoid glycosides, including 1 flavone mono‐C‐hexoside, 2 flavone 6,8‐di‐C‐hexosides, 11 flavone 6,8‐di‐C‐pentosides, 13 flavone 6,8‐C‐hexosyl‐C‐pentosides, 5 acetylated flavone C‐glycosides and 3 flavonol O‐glycosides, were identified or tentatively identified on the base of their UV profiles, MS and MSⁿ (n = 5) data, or by comparing with reference substances. Among these, the acetylated flavone C‐glycosides were reported from V. yedoensis for the first time. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Propyl paraben-induced changes in dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanolamine vesicles

This article reports the influence of the preservative, propyl paraben (PPB), on the phase transition and dynamics of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) vesicles both in multilamellar vesicular (MLV) and unilamellar vesicular (ULV) forms using DSC and (¹H and ³¹P) NMR. DSC results indicate that the mechanism by which PPB interacts with DPPE vesicles is similar in both forms. Addition of PPB to DPPE dispersion results in lowering of the gel to liquid crystalline phase transition temperature (T _m) and consequently increases DPPE headgroup fluidity. At high PPB concentration, additional transitions are observed whose intensity increases with increasing PPB concentration. DSC and NMR data indicate that the PPB molecules get intercalated between the DPPE headgroups as the polar group of the PPB molecules interacts with the polar group of PE, and the alkyl chain of PPB penetrates into the acyl chain region. The interesting finding with MLV is that the gel phase of DPPE in the presence of PPB, on equilibration at 25 °C, transforms to a stable crystalline subgel phases and whose intensity increases with increasing PPB concentration. The effect of inclusion of cholesterol in the PPB-free and PPB-doped DPPE dispersion was also studied.     

Identification of new trace triterpenoid saponins from the roots of Panax notoginseng by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Triterpenoid saponins are the major bioactive constituents of Panax notoginseng. In the study reported here, the fragmentation behavior of triterpenoid saponins from P. notoginseng was investigated by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI‐MSⁿ)and high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI‐MSⁿ). Analyses revealed that product ions from glycosidic and cross‐ring cleavages can give a wealth of structural information regarding the nature of the aglycone, sugar types, the sequence and linkage information of sugar units. It is noted that different glycosylation positions remarkably influenced the fragmentation behaviors, which could assist in the differentiation of saponin analogues. To rationalize this characteristic, the collision energy required for various glycosidic cleavages was investigated. According to the summarized fragmentation rules, identification of triterpenoid saponins from the roots of P. notoginseng could be fulfilled, even when reference standards were unavailable. Furthermore, minor and trace constituents were enriched and detected by eliminating the major constituents in one of the saponin fractions. As a result, a total of 151 saponins, including 56 new trace ones, were identified or tentatively characterized from saponin fractions based on their retention times, HPLC/HRMS, HPLC/ESI‐MSⁿ fragmentation behaviors and comparison with literature data. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Atmospheric pressure ionization–tandem mass spectrometry of the phenicol drug family

In this work, the mass spectrometry behaviour of the veterinary drug family of phenicols, including chloramphenicol (CAP) and its related compounds thiamphenicol (TAP), florfenicol (FF) and FF amine (FFA), was studied. Several atmospheric pressure ionization sources, electrospray (ESI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and atmospheric pressure photoionization were compared. In all atmospheric pressure ionization sources, CAP, TAP and FF were ionized in both positive and negative modes; while for the metabolite FFA, only positive ionization was possible. In general, in positive mode, [M + H]⁺ dominated the mass spectrum for FFA, while the other compounds, CAP, TAP and FF, with lower proton affinity showed intense adducts with species present in the mobile phase. In negative mode, ESI and atmospheric pressure photoionization showed the deprotonated molecule [M–H]^?, while atmospheric pressure chemical ionization provided the radical molecular ion by electron capture. All these ions were characterized by tandem mass spectrometry using the combined information obtained by multistage mass spectrometry and high‐resolution mass spectrometry in a quadrupole‐Orbitrap instrument. In general, the fragmentation occurred via cyclization and losses or fragmentation of the N‐(alkyl)acetamide group, and common fragmentation pathways were established for this family of compounds. A new chemical structure for the product ion at m/z 257 for CAP, on the basis of the MS³ and MS⁴ spectra is proposed. Thermally assisted ESI and selected reaction monitoring are proposed for the determination of these compounds by ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, achieving instrumental detection limits down to 0.1 pg. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrospray Mass Spectrometry with Consecutive Fragmentation Steps (ESI‐MSn) as a Tool for Rapid and Sensitive Analysis of Ginsenosides and Their Galactosyl Derivatives

The ginsenosides Rb₁ ( 3 ) and Rg₁ ( 4 ) isolated from Panax ginseng were enzymatically modified with galactosyltransferase to furnish new derivatives carrying galactose units in one or both sugar chains at position C(20) and/or C(3) or C(6) of the protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol aglycones 1 and 2 , respectively. To determine the linkage position(s) of the introduced galactose unit(s), an electrospray‐ionization MS analysis with consecutive fragmentation steps (ESI‐MSⁿ) was carried out using an ion‐trap mass spectrometer (Figs. 2 and 3). It was shown that both sugar moieties, located at different positions of the protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol aglycone, can be easily differentiated and analyzed in the subsequent fragmentation steps. Collision‐induced dissociation (CID) of the Na⁺‐ionized molecule (MS²) leads to cleavage of the most labile O−C(20) glycosidic bond, liberating the C(20) oligosaccharide fragment ion that can be analyzed in a subsequent fragmentation step (MS³). MS³ of the C(20) monodeglycosylated ginsenoside leads to cleavage of the second sugar moiety, allowing structure analysis of this fragment ion (MS⁴). By this method, the linkages of the monosaccharides and branching positions can be rapidly determined using only a few μl of a 10⁻⁵ M sample solution.     

LC-MS<Superscript><Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">n</Emphasis></Superscript> Analysis of Isomeric Chondroitin Sulfate Oligosaccharides Using a Chemical Derivatization Strategy

Improved methods for structural analyses of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are required to understand their functional roles in various biological processes. Major challenges in structural characterization of complex GAG oligosaccharides using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) include the accurate determination of the patterns of sulfation due to gas-phase losses of the sulfate groups upon collisional activation and inefficient on-line separation of positional sulfation isomers prior to MS/MS analyses. Here, a sequential chemical derivatization procedure including permethylation, desulfation, and acetylation was demonstrated to enable both on-line LC separation of isomeric mixtures of chondroitin sulfate (CS) oligosaccharides and accurate determination of sites of sulfation by MS ⁿ . The derivatized oligosaccharides have sulfate groups replaced with acetyl groups, which are sufficiently stable to survive MS ⁿ fragmentation and reflect the original sulfation patterns. A standard reversed-phase LC-MS system with a capillary C18 column was used for separation, and MS ⁿ experiments using collision-induced dissociation (CID) were performed. Our results indicate that the combination of this derivatization strategy and MS ⁿ methodology enables accurate identification of the sulfation isomers of CS hexasaccharides with either saturated or unsaturated nonreducing ends. Moreover, derivatized CS hexasaccharide isomer mixtures become separable by LC-MS method due to different positions of acetyl modifications.     

Rapid structural determination of alkaloids in a crude extract of Stemona saxorum by high‐performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization coupled with tandem mass spectrometry

The electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometric behavior of five Stemona alkaloids, stemokerrin, oxystemokerrin, oxystemokerrilactone, oxystemokerrin N‐oxide and stemokerrin N‐oxide, was studied using an ESI tandem mass technique (MSⁿ). These compounds, isolated from Stemona saxorum endemic in Vietnam, represent a class of alkaloids containing a pyrido[1,2‐a]azepine A,B‐ring core with a 1‐hydroxypropyl side chain attached to C‐4. Their fragmentation pathways were elucidated by ESI‐MSⁿ results and the elemental composition of the major product ions was confirmed by accurate mass measurement. In order to rationalize some fragmentation pathways, the relative Gibbs free energies of some product ions were estimated using the B3LYP/6‐31+G(d) method. Based on the ESI‐MSⁿ results of five reference compounds, a reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (RP‐HPLC/MSⁿ) method was developed for the characterization of Stemona alkaloids with a pyrido[1,2‐a]azepine A,B‐ring core from the extract of S. saxorum. A total of 41 components were rapidly identified or tentatively characterized, of which 12 compounds were identified as Stemona alkaloids with a pyrido[1,2‐a]azepine A,B‐ring core, including four new compounds. This method is convenient and sensitive, especially for minor components in complex natural product extracts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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。     

Analysis of α‐acyloxyhydroperoxy aldehydes with electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (ESI‐MSn)

A series of α‐acyloxyhydroperoxy aldehydes was analyzed with direct infusion electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI/MSⁿ) as well as liquid chromatography coupled with the mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Standards of α‐acyloxyhydroperoxy aldehydes were prepared by liquid‐phase ozonolysis of cyclohexene in the presence of carboxylic acids. Stabilized Criegee intermediate (SCI), a by‐product of the ozone attack on the cyclohexene double bond, reacted with the selected carboxylic acids (SCI scavengers) leading to the formation of α‐acyloxyhydroperoxy aldehydes. Ionization conditions were optimized. [M + H]⁺ ions were not formed in ESI; consequently, α‐acyloxyhydroperoxy aldehydes were identified as their ammonia adducts for the first time. On the other hand, atmospheric‐pressure chemical ionization has led to decomposition of the compounds of interest. Analysis of the mass spectra (MS² and MS³) of the [M + NH₄]⁺ ions allowed recognizing the fragmentation pathways, common for all of the compounds under study. In order to get detailed insights into the fragmentation mechanism, a number of isotopically labeled analogs were also studied. To confirm that the fragmentation mechanism allows predicting the mass spectrum of different α‐acyloxyhydroperoxy aldehydes, ozonolysis of α‐pinene, a very important secondary organic aerosol precursor, was carried out. Spectra of the two ammonium cationized α‐acyloxyhydroperoxy aldehydes prepared with α‐pinene, cis‐pinonic acid as well as pinic acid were predicted very accurately. Possible applications of the method developed for the analysis of α‐acyloxyhydroperoxy aldehydes in SOA samples, as well as other compounds containing hydroperoxide moiety are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tandem mass spectrometry study of p38α kinase inhibitors and related substances

The p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase α (p38α) is an important drug target widely investigated for therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases. Its inhibitors are rather lipophilic and as such not very favourable lead compounds in drug discovery. Therefore, we explored various approaches to access new chemical space, create diversity, and generate lead libraries with improved solubility and reduced lipophilicity, based on known p38α inhibitors, e.g., BIRB796 and TAK‐715. Compound modification strategies include incubation with human liver microsomes and bacterial cytochrome P450 mutants from Bacillus megaterium and treatment by electrochemical oxidation, H₂O₂, and intense light irradiation. The MS/MS fragmentation pathways of p38α inhibitors and their conversion products have been studied in an ion‐trap–time‐of‐flight MSⁿ instrument. Interpretation of accurate mass MSⁿ data for four sets of related compounds revealed unexpected and peculiar fragmentation pathways that are discussed in detail. Emphasis is put on the usefulness of HRMSⁿ‐based structure elucidation in a screening setting and on peculiarities of the fragmentation with regard to the analytes and the MS instrument. In one example, an intramolecular rearrangement reaction accompanied by the loss of a bulky group is observed. For BIRB796, the double‐charge precursor ion is used in MS², providing a wider range of fragment ions in our instrument. For TAK‐715, a number of related compounds could be produced in a large‐scale incubation with a Bacillus megaterium mutant, thus enabling comparison of the structure elucidation by ¹H NMR and MSⁿ. A surprisingly large number of homolytic cleavages are observed. Competition between two fragmentation pathways involving either the loss of CH₃^? or OH^? radicals was observed for SB203580 and its conversion products. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fragmentation characteristics of hydroxycinnamic acids in ESI‐MSn by density functional theory

This work aims to analyze the electrospray ionization multistage mass spectrometry (ESI‐MSⁿ) fragmentation characteristics of hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) in negative ion mode. The geometric parameters, energies, natural bond orbitals and frontier orbitals of fragments were calculated by density functional theory (DFT) to investigate mass spectral fragmentation mechanisms. The results showed that proton transfer always occurred during fragmentation of HCAs; their quasi‐molecular ions ([M − H]⁻) existed in more than one form and were mainly with the lowest energy. The fragmentation characteristics included the followings: (1) according to the different substitution position of phenolic hydroxyl group, the ring contraction reaction by CO elimination from benzene was in an increasingly difficult order: m‐phenolic hydroxyl > p‐phenolic hydroxyl > o‐phenolic hydroxyl; and (2) ortho effect always occurred in o‐dihydroxycinnamic acids (o‐diHCAs), i.e. one phenolic hydroxyl group offered H⁺, which combined with the other one to lose H₂O. In addition, there was a nucleophilic reaction during ring contraction in diHCAs that oxygen atom attacked the carbon atom binding with the other phenolic hydroxyl to lose CO₂. The fragmentation characteristics and mechanism of HCAs could be used for analysis and identification of such compounds quickly and effectively, and as reference for structural analogues by ESI‐MS. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization and quantification of 10‐hydroxycamptothecine in Camptotheca acuminate and its medicinal preparation by liquid chromatography–ion trap mass spectrometry

A rapid and sensitive method for the identification and quantification of 10‐hydroxycamptothecine (HCPT) in Camptotheca acuminata Decne is described. The HCPT standard solution was directly infused into the ion trap mass spectrometers (IT/MS) for collecting the MSⁿ spectra. The electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectral fragmentation pathway of HCPT was proposed and the ESI‐MSⁿ fragmentation behavior of HCPT was deduced in detail. The major fragment ions of HCPT were confirmed by MSⁿ in both negative ion and positive ion mode. The possible main cleavage pathway of fragment ions was studied. Quantification of HCPT was assigned in negative‐ion mode at a product ion at m/z 363 → 319 by LC‐MS. The LC‐MS method was validated for linearity, sensitivity, accuracy and precision, and then used to determine the content of the HCPT. Lastly, the LC‐MS method was successfully applied to determine HCPT in real samples of Camptotheca acuminate Decne and its medicinal preparation in the first time. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photocrosslinking of a novel α,ω‐unsaturated copolyamide: mass spectrometric study on model compounds with benzophenone as photoinitiator

The aim of this work was to understand the reactions involved in the photocrosslinking processes of a α,ω‐unsaturated copolyamide foreseen as a new UV‐curable powder coating. The crosslinking reaction was photoinitiated with benzophenone. In this paper, the photochemical reaction between benzophenone and several model compounds was investigated. The model compounds contained functional groups which could be present in copolyamide. The products resulting from UV curing were identified using a combination of high‐resolution mass spectrometry and MSⁿ experiments. The characterization of the products allowed localization of the hydrogen abstraction by the type II photoinitiator during UV curing and, consequently, the determination of the reactive sites of the unsaturated polyamide chain which were involved in the photochemical reaction. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The unusual fragmentation of long‐chain feruloyl esters under negative ion electrospray conditions

Long‐chain ferulic acid esters, such as eicosyl ferulate ( 1 ), show a complex and analytically valuable fragmentation behavior under negative ion electrospay collision‐induced dissociation ((?)‐ESI‐CID) mass spectrometry, as studied by use of a high‐resolution (Orbitrap) mass spectrometer. In a strong contrast to the very simple fragmentation of the [M + H]⁺ ion, which is discussed briefly, the deprotonated molecule, [M – H]^?, exhibits a rich secondary fragmentation chemistry. It first loses a methyl radical (MS²) and the ortho‐quinoid [M – H – Me]^‐? radical anion thus formed then dissociates by loss of an extended series of neutral radicals, C_nH_2n + 1^? (n = 0–16) from the long alkyl chain, in competition with the expulsion of CO and CO₂ (MS³). The further fragmentation (MS⁴) of the [M – H – Me – C₃H₇]^? ion, discussed as an example, and the highly specific losses of alkyl radicals from the [M – H – Me – CO]^‐? and [M – H – Me – CO₂]^‐? ions provide some mechanistic and structural insights.     

UPLC‐QTOF‐MSE‐based diagnostic product ion filtering to unveil unstable C6‐C2 glucoside conjugates in Forsythia suspensa

Forsythia suspensa contains C₆‐C₂ glucoside conjugates (CCGCs) that are chemically unstable, thereby hindering their isolation and purification. In the present study, ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (UPLC‐QTOF) was utilized to screen and identify unstable CCGCs in the fruits and leaves of F. suspensa without any tedious isolation and purified process based on independent information acquisition (also called MS^E) and individual MS/MS experiments. Diagnostic product ion filtering (DPIF) was further applied to mine unknown analogs in MS^E high energy levels based on characteristic m/z of key substructures. A modified nomenclature for CCGCs is hereby proposed to facilitate discussions. Possible fragmentation pathways of major types of known CCGCs were proposed and used for deducing their structures. A total of 8 potentially new CCGCs were discovered and initially identified. The accuracy of their identification was further verified by structural elucidation of 3 unstable CCGCs isolated from the fruits of F. suspensa using 1D and 2D‐NMR spectroscopy. The established UPLC‐QTOF‐MS^E‐based DPIF technique facilitates the rapid discovery and direct identification of unstable CCGCs in fruits and leaves of F. suspensa .     

Study of bisphosphonates by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry – influence of alkali atoms on fragmentation patterns

1‐Hydroxymethylene‐1,1‐bisphosphonic acids (or bisphosphonates) are compounds that have interesting pharmacological applications. However, few mass spectrometric investigations have been carried out to determine their fragmentation patterns. Herein, we evaluated different matrices for the study by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOFMS) of the formation and fragmentation of the protonated, the cationized (MNa⁺ and MK⁺) and the deprotonated bisphosphonates. Some in‐source fragmentations were observed both in positive and in negative ion modes. The fragmentation patterns obtained in post‐source decay mode are also discussed. In contrast to previous electrospray ionization/multi‐stage mass spectrometry (ESI‐MSⁿ) studies, some new fragmentation pathways were deduced and the effects of alkali ions on the fragmentation patterns were shown. The results summarized here completed the data previously recorded by ESI‐MSⁿ and could be used for the characterization of bisphosphonates as alkali complexes in biological mixtures. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Furanose C—C‐linked γ‐lactones: a combined ESI FTICR MS and semi‐empirical calculations study

Sugars that incorporate the unsaturated carbonyl motif have become important synthetic targets not only as a result of their potential biological properties but also as precursors in the synthesis of many bioactive products. Moreover, little is known about the influence of the γ‐lactone moiety in the fragmentation pattern of furanose rings. Therefore, two α,β‐unsaturated γ‐lactones (butenolides) and two β‐hydroxy γ‐lactones, C? C linked to a furanose ring were studied using electrospray ionization FTICR mass spectrometry. The behaviour of the protonated and sodiated forms of the compounds under study has been compared considering their structural features. Fragmentation mechanisms were established and ion structures were proposed taking into account the MS² and MS³ experiments, accurate mass measurements and semi‐empirical calculations. These inexpensive methods proved to be a valuable resource for proposing protonation sites and for the establishment of fragmentation pathways. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.