Translational energy release and stereochemistry of steroids. IX-The mechanism of the elimination of water from metastable ions in epimeric 3-hydroxy steroids of the 5β-series

The mechanism of water elimination from metastable molecular and [M ? CH₃˙]⁺ ions, as well as from ions deprived of ring D, in epimeric 3-hydroxy steroids of the 5β-series has been elucidated by deuterium labelling, by the measurements of the translational energy released during loss of water, and by collision-induced decomposition mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectrometry. It was found that the dehydration of the metastable molecular ion in 3α-hydroxy steroids of the 5β-series occurs mostly regiospecifically as an elimination of the 3α-hydroxyl together with the 9α-hydrogen atom. The ring A in the molecular ion has to flip to the boat conformation to make this reaction possible. In the metastable molecular ion of 3β-hydroxy steroids of the 5β-series a different dehydration mechanism operates, with very little participation of the 9α-hydrogen atom. The mechanisms of water loss from metastable [M ? CH₃˙]⁺ ions and from ions deprived of ring D differ from that of the molecular ion.     

Collision-induced dissociation study of cyclization of α-diazo-ω-arylsulphonylaminoalkan-2-ones

The collision-induced dissociation mass-analysed ion kinetic energy (CID MIKE) spectra (electron impact and chemical ionization) of five α-diazo-ω-arylsulphonylaminoalkan-2-ones and corresponding N-arylsulphonylazetidin-3-ones and N-arylsulphonylpyrrolidin-3-ones were studied. The [M ? N₂]⁺˙ and [MH ? N₂]⁺ ions of two types of the diazo ketones provide CID MIKE spectra similar to those of the corresponding M⁺˙ and MH⁺ of the heterocyclic compounds, i.e. a cyclization analogous to that in solution takes place. For the other three types of diazo compounds the Wolff rearrangement prevails in both the gas and liquid phases. The effect of the substituents on the cyclization process was studied. The data obtained permit the results of acid-catalysed cyclization of similar diazo ketones to be predicted on the basis of their CID MIKE spectra. Chemical ionization provides a closer similarity with reactions in solution than electron impact ionization, which can be rationalized by the protonation of the diazo ketone molecule being the driving force of the cyclization reaction either in solution or in the ion source of a mass spectrometer.     

Translational energy release and stereochemistry of steroids. VIII-The mechanism of the elimination of water from metastable ions in epimeric 3-hydroxy steroids of the 5α-series

The mechanism of water elimination from metastable molecular, [M ? CH₃˙]⁺ and [M ? ring D]⁺˙ ions of epimeric 3-hydroxy steroids of the 5α-series has been elucidated. Deuterium labelling, the measurement of the translational energy released during the loss of water, and collision-induced decomposition mass-analysed kinetic energy spectrometry were the techniques used. It was found that the mechanisms of water loss from metastable M⁺˙ and [M ? ring D]⁺˙ ions is different from that from [M ? CH₃˙]⁺ ions.     

Translational energy release and stereochemistry of steroids. VII—the loss of angular methyl groups after the dehydration of molecular ions of cholesterol and related C(5)-unsaturated 3β-hydroxy steroids

The translational energy, T, released during the loss of the angular 18- and 19-methyl groups both from metastable molecular ions and metastable [M ? H₂O]⁺ and [M ? 2H₂O]⁺ ions, in C(5)-unsaturated mono-and di-hydroxy steroids, as well as in their 19-nor and deuterated analogues bearing the label in the 19-methyl group, has been measured. It was found that, while the T values for the 19-CH₃ loss, following the dehydration of the molecular ions, are increased substantially when compared to those for the same loss from the molecular ions, the T values for the 18-CH₃ loss are increased much more moderately. Nevertheless, the amounts of translational energy released in the [M ? H₂O]⁺˙ ? 18-CH₃˙ and [M ? 2 H₂O]⁺˙ ? 18-CH₃˙ transitions are still higher than those found for the respective 19-methyl loss, in accordance with the general rule established recently.     

Destabilized carbenium ions: α-carbomethoxy-α,α-dimethyl-methyl cations

Tertiary α-carbomethoxy-α,α-dimethyl-methyl cations a have been generated by electron impact induced fragmentation from the appropriately α-substituted methyl isobutyrates 1–4. The destabilized carbenium ions a can be distinguished from their more stable isomers protonated methyl methacrylate c and protonated methyl crotonate d by MIKE and CA spectra. The loss of I^— and Br˙ from the molecular ions of 1 and 2, respectively, predominantly gives rise to the destabilized ions a, whereas loss of Cl˙ from [3]^{+ ˙} results in a mixture of ions a and c. The loss of CH₃˙ from [4]⁺˙ favours skeletal rearrangement leading to ions d. The characteristic reactions of the destabilized ions a are the loss of CO and elimination of methanol. The loss of CO is associated by a very large KER and non-statistical kinetic energy release (T₅₀ = 920 meV). Specific deuterium labelling experiments indicate that the α-carbomethoxy-α,α-dimethyl-methyl cations a rearrange via a 1,4-H shift into the carbonyl protonated methyl methacrylate c and eventually into the alkyl-O protonated methyl methacrylate before the loss of methanol. The hydrogen rearrangements exhibit a deuterium isotope effect indicating substantial energy barriers between the [C₅H₉O₂]⁺ isomers. Thus the destabilized carbenium ion a exists as a kinetically stable species within a potential energy well.     

Mass-analysed ion kinetic energy and collisionally induced dissociation mass spectra of clusters of acetylated xylo-oligosaecharides with protonated ammonia and methylannine

Per-O-acetylated methyl glycosides of D -xylan-type di- and trisaccharides were studied by mass-analysed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) and collisionally induced dissociation (CID) mass Spectrometry using protonated ammonia and methylamine, respectively, as reaction gases in chemical ionization (CI). The oligosaccharides form abundant cluster ions, [M + NH₄]⁺ or [M + CH₃NH₃]⁺, and the main fragmentation of these ions in the MIKE and CID spectra is the cleavage of interglycosidic linkages. Thus, CI (NH₃) or CI (CH₃NH₂) spectra in combination with the MIKE or CID spectra allow the molecular masses, the masses of monosaccharide units and the branching point in oligosaccharides to be established. In the case of disaccharides, it is possible to distinguish the (1 → 2) linkage from the other types of linkages.     

Translational energy release and stereochemistry of steroids 4—Epimeric 3-keto and 3-hydroxy steroids

The translational energy, T, released during CH₃˙ loss from the molecular ions of epimeric steroid ketones and from both molecular and [M-H₂O]⁺˙ ions of epimeric alcohols of the androstane, pregnane and cholestane series, differing in the mode of the A/B ring junction, has been measured. These data provide a simple and rapid method for identifying the configuration of the epimeric centres. Of the compounds studied, it is found in 3-hydroxy steroids that the 5β-isomers release the smaller amounts of translational energy for CH₃˙ loss. In most of the 3-keto steroids investigated, the opposite is found, i.e. the larger T values are observed for the 5β-isomers. Exceptions occur when further keto groups are introduced at the 11- or 17-positions. A small range of epimeric pairs of 17-hydroxy, 17-keto and 4-keto steroids have also been studied, the 5β-isomer giving the lower T value in each case. The importance of hydroxy and keto groups at the various sites within the steroid structure in determining the T values is discussed.     

Kinetic energy release during CO loss by rearrangement of α-benzoylcarbenium ions

Primary α-benzoylcarbenium ions (a) and tertiary α-benzoyldimethylcarbenium ions (b) are obtained by chemical ionization of ω-hydroxyacetophenone and its dimethyl derivative, respectively. Both α-acylcarbenium ions decompose by a rearrangement reaction and subsequent loss of a CO molecule. The kinetic energy released during this process by metastable ions a and b has been determined under different experimental conditions. The kinetic energy released during the CO elimination from the tertiary α-benzoyldimethylcarbenium ions b is independent of the experimental conditions and gives rise to dish-topped peaks with T₅₀=440±20 meV in the MIKE spectra of b. In contrast to this the kinetic energy releases and the peak-shapes in the MIKE spectra of the primary α-benzoylcarbenium ion a varies with the experimental conditions. The mechanism of this rearrangement reaction is discussed, and it is shown by a MNDO calculation of the heats of formation of the relevant ions that the different characteristics of the kinetic energy release during the fragmentation of primary and tertiary carbenium ions can be attributed to different types of reaction energy profiles.     

Dissociative Electron Attachment to β‐Alanine

A detailed study on dissociative electron attachment (DEA) to β‐alanine (βA) in the gas phase is presented. Ion yields as a function of the incident electron energy from about 0 to 15 eV have been measured for most of the fragments. As for all α‐amino acids, the main reaction corresponds to the loss of a hydrogen atom, although many other fragments have been observed that involved more complex bond cleavages. Threshold energies have been calculated by using the G4(MP2) method for various decomposition reactions. Fragmentation pathways were also investigated to measure metastable decays of the intermediate fragment anion (βA?H)^? by using the mass‐analyzed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) scan technique. Comparisons with α‐alanine and other amino acids are made when relevant.     

Electron impact induced fragmentation of β-allenic and γ-acetylenic alcohols

The main fragmentation pathway of ionized hydroxyallenes (1) consists of a methyl loss. Extensive deuterium-labelling experiments indicate that the terminal allenic carbon is implied in this fragmentation. Collisional activation spectra indicate a propenyl-acylium structure (a) for these [M – CH₃]⁺ ions which can originate from a 1,4-hydroxyl migration followed by hydrogen rearrangements. Isomeric hydroxyacetylenes (2) behave similarly, also giving rise, by methyl loss, to acylium ions a. It is proposed that 2^{+ ˙} is irreversibly isomerized into 1^{+ ˙} by a 1,3-hydrogen transfer ‘catalysed’ by the hydroxy group. The proposed internal proton-bound complex justifies also the easier loss of water from 2⁺˙. Ethyl loss is also a prominent fragmentation for the hydroxyallene and hydroxy-acetylene homologues.     

Metastable ion and induced stable ion fragmentation of isomeric 5-methyl-3-tolyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles

The electron ionization fragmentation patterns of 5-methyl-3-(o-, m- and p-tolyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazoles (1a—c) have been examined by metastable ion and high resolution mass spectrometry. The o-tolyl isomer loses CO and C₂H₂O from the metastable molecular ion whereas the m- and p-tolyl isomers lose only CH₃CN thus indicating a strong ortho effect in directing the fragmentation in 1a. Slight differences between o-, m- and p-tolyl isomers in the collisional activation fragmentation of stable [C₇H₆N]⁺ ions suggest that structural differences exist even after a series of extensive rearrangements of the molecular ions. Metastable ion kinetic energy (MIKE) and collisional activation (CA) spectra were very helpful in providing valuable information about many fragments.     

Differentiation of Boc‐protected α,δ‐/δ,α‐ and β,δ‐/δ,β‐hybrid peptide positional isomers by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Two new series of Boc‐N‐α,δ‐/δ,α‐ and β,δ‐/δ,β‐hybrid peptides containing repeats of L ‐Ala‐δ⁵‐Caa/δ⁵‐Caa‐L ‐Ala and β³‐Caa‐δ⁵‐Caa/δ⁵‐Caa‐β³‐Caa (L ‐Ala = L ‐alanine, Caa = C‐linked carbo amino acid derived from D ‐xylose) have been differentiated by both positive and negative ion electrospray ionization (ESI) ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). MSⁿ spectra of protonated isomeric peptides produce characteristic fragmentation involving the peptide backbone, the Boc‐group, and the side chain. The dipeptide positional isomers are differentiated by the collision‐induced dissociation (CID) of the protonated peptides. The loss of 2‐methylprop‐1‐ene is more pronounced for Boc‐NH‐L ‐Ala‐δ‐Caa‐OCH₃ (1), whereas it is totally absent for its positional isomer Boc‐NH‐δ‐Caa‐L ‐Ala‐OCH₃ (7), instead it shows significant loss of t‐butanol. On the other hand, second isomeric pair shows significant loss of t‐butanol and loss of acetone for Boc‐NH‐δ‐Caa‐β‐Caa‐OCH₃ (18), whereas these are insignificant for its positional isomer Boc‐NH‐β‐Caa‐δ‐Caa‐OCH₃ (13). The tetra‐ and hexapeptide positional isomers also show significant differences in MS² and MS³ CID spectra. It is observed that ‘b’ ions are abundant when oxazolone structures are formed through five‐membered cyclic transition state and cyclization process for larger ‘b’ ions led to its insignificant abundance. However, b₁⁺ ion is formed in case of δ,α‐dipeptide that may have a six‐membered substituted piperidone ion structure. Furthermore, ESI negative ion MS/MS has also been found to be useful for differentiating these isomeric peptide acids. Thus, the results of MS/MS of pairs of di‐, tetra‐, and hexapeptide positional isomers provide peptide sequencing information and distinguish the positional isomers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fragmentation of organosulfur compounds upon electron impact. Part III. Metastable decomposition of the molecular ions of methyl thioglycolate and ethyl thioglycolate

The metastable decompositions of the molecular ions of methyl thioglycolate (1) and ethyl thioglycolate (2) were investigated by means of mass analyzed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) spectra and deuterium labeling. The loss of methanol is the only metastable decomposition of 1^+·. This fragmentation occurs via two distinct pathways. The molecular ions of 2 decompose in a variety of ways, i.e., the losses of water, ethene, ethanol or ?₂H₃O₂. All of these decompositions, except the loss of ethene, occur through two distinct mechanisms. During the loss of ?₂H₃O₂, the ethyl group or ethene migrates from the oxygen to the sulfur atom. The loss of H?S, which corresponds to the loss of H?O with a concomitant double hydrogen transfer observed in the case of methyl glycolate (3), does not participate in the metastable decomposition of 1^+· and 2^+·. This is due to the energetic favorableness of the loss of methanol.     

On the mechanism of isomerization reactions in the esters of some simple α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids

It is shown from a detailed examination of first field free region metastable peak shapes that the molecular ion of the methyl ester of acrylic acid rearranges into 2- and 3-butenoic acid ions prior to metastable fragmentations involving the losses of H₂O, CH₃˙ and CO. The key intermediate ion in this ester-acid isomerization is shown to be the enol form of ionized γ-butyrolactone. The C-5 homologues methylmethacrylate and ethylacrylate display a similar mechanism for H₂O loss, but the loss of CH₃˙ shows additional mechanistic complexities. It was shown from the metastable peak shapes of ¹³C and deuterium labelled compounds that the larger part of the methyl loss does not occur from acid type ions, but directly from methyl substituted enol ions of γ-butyrolactone. The mechanistic proposals also account for the presence of a pronounced loss of CH₃˙ from the isomeric ester methylcrotonate and the absence of H₂O loss in both methylcrotonate and the methyl ester of 3-butenoic acid.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of α‐Hydroxy Amides and β‐Amino Alcohols from α‐Keto Amides

Synthesis of enantiomerically enriched α‐hydroxy amides and β‐amino alcohols has been accomplished by enantioselective reduction of α‐keto amides with hydrosilanes. A series of α‐keto amides were reduced in the presence of chiral Cu^II/(S)‐DTBM‐SEGPHOS catalyst to give the corresponding optically active α‐hydroxy amides with excellent enantioselectivities by using (EtO)₃SiH as a reducing agent. Furthermore, a one‐pot complete reduction of both ketone and amide groups of α‐keto amides has been achieved using the same chiral copper catalyst followed by tetra‐n‐butylammonium fluoride (TBAF) catalyst in presence of (EtO)₃SiH to afford the corresponding chiral β‐amino alcohol derivatives.     

On the structures and fragmentation of [Me2S∵SMe2]+ and [Et2S∵SEt2]+: Tandem mass spectrometry metastable and collision-induced dissociation results

An experimental study of the metastable and collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra of [Me₂S∵SMe₂]⁺ and [Et₂S∵SEt₂]⁺ has been carried out. These ions are examples of species that contain two-center-three-electron (2c–3e) sulfur-sulfur bonds. The metastable and CID spectra provide experimental evidence of the atomic connectivity and of the 2c–3e bonds. The metastable cleavage of the S∵S 2c–3e bonds appears to occur with no reverse activation barriers and to result in small average kinetic energy releases. Fragmentation of the same bonds by CID results in the most intense product for both ions. Comparisons with the metastable and CID spectra of [MeSSMe]⁺, an ion with a two-center-two-electron (2c–2e) sulfur-sulfur bond, are made and strongly support the difference in the sulfur-sulfur bonding.     

A mass spectrometric investigation on some 4,7-dioxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole derivatives

The mass spectrometric behaviour of a series of 2-aryl substituted 4,7-dioxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindoles has been studied in different ionization conditions (Electron Ionization and Fast Atom Bombardment), with the aid of the metastable ion studies. In electron ionization conditions all the compounds exhibit a highly favoured, primary H₂ loss giving rise to the corresponding indole-4,7-diones; in the usual spectra no evidence for the molecular ions in the enolic form was found, while the OH* loss observed in the MIKE (mass analyzed ion kinetic energy) spectra of molecular ions suggests that species at low internal energy content isomerize to the corresponding tautomeric enolic form. FAB mass spectra show easy formation of an unusual [M + 2H]⁺ species, together with abundant [M + H]⁺ and M⁺ cations.     

Enantiomeric differentiation of β‐amino alcohols under electrospray ionization mass spectrometric conditions

The enantiomeric differentiation of a series of chiral β‐amino alcohols (A) is attempted, for the first time, by applying the kinetic method using L‐proline, L‐tryptophan, 4‐iodo‐L‐phenylalanine or 3, 5‐diiodo‐L‐tyrosine as the chiral references (Ref) and Cu²⁺ or Ni²⁺ ion (M) as the central metal ion. The trimeric diastereomeric adduct ions, [M+(Ref)₂+A‐H]⁺, formed under electrospray ionization conditions, are subjected for collision‐induced dissociation (CID) experiments. The products ions, formed by the loss of either a reference or an analyte, detected in the CID spectra are evaluated for the enantiomeric differentiation. All the references showed enantiomeric differentiation and the R_chiral values are better for the aromatic alcohols than for aliphatic alcohols. Notably, the R_chiral values of the aliphatic amino alcohols enhanced when Ni²⁺ is used as the central metal ion. The experimental results are well supported by computational studies carried out on the diastereomeric dimeric complexes. The computational data of amino alcohols is correlated with that of amino acids to understand the structural interaction of amino alcohols with reference molecule and central metal ion and their role on the stabilization of the dimeric complexes. Application of flow injection MS/MS method is also demonstrated for the enantiomeric differentiation of the amino alcohols. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electron ionization induced metastable decompositions of isomeric trimethylsilylmethanol, (CH3)3SiCH2OH, and methoxytrimethylsilane, (CH3)3SiOCH3

The metastable decompositions of trimethylsilylmethanol, (CH₃)₃SiCH₂OH (MW: 104, 1) and methoxytrimethylsilane, (CH₃)₃SiOCH₃ (MW: 104, 2) upon electron ionization have been investigated by use of mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) spectroscopy and D labeling. The metastable ions of 1 ^·+ decompose to give the fragment ions m/z 89 (CH ₃ ^· loss) and 73 (^·CH₂OH loss), whereas those of 2 ^·+ only yield the fragment ion m/z 89 (CH ₃ ^· loss). The latter fragment ion is generated by loss of a methyl radical from the trimethylsilyl group via a simple cleavage reaction as shown by D labeling. However, the fragment ions m/z 89 and 73 from 1 ^·+ are generated following an almost statistical exchange of the original methyl and methylene hydrogen atoms in the molecular ion as shown also by D labeling. This exchange indicates a complex rearrangement of the molecular ion of 1 ^·+ prior to metastable decomposition for which as key step a 1,2-trimethylsilyl group migration from carbon to oxygen is suggested. A different behavior is also found between the source-generated m/z 89 ions from 1 ^·+ which decompose in the metastable time region to give ions m/z 61 by loss of ethylene and those from 2 ^·+ which decompose in the metastable region to yield ions m/z 59 by elimination of formaldehyde.     

Relative stabilities of the methyltropylium and α-phenylethyl cations

Metastable decomposition of ethylbenzene molecular ions should yield [C₈H₉]⁺ ions of nearly threshold energies. Mass spectral data from collisionally activated dissociation of these ions show them to be mainly the methyltropylium (a) isomer, which is also that formed from 7-methylcycloheptatriene and isopropylbenzene. Combined with the threshold photoionization studies of McLoughlin, Morrison and Traeger, this establishes a as the most stable [C₈H₉]⁺ isomer. This is more stable than the α-phenylethyl isomer (b), which can be formed from α-bromoethylbenzene molecular ions; higher energy b ions appear to isomerize to a.