Electron impact ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry of phenylalkylpyridazines

The mass spectrometric fragmentation behaviour of pyridazine and four monosubstituted derivatives containing a pbenylalkyl side-chain (3- and 4-benizylpyridazine, 3- and 4-(2-pbenylethyl)pyridazine) was investigated. In the electron impact ionization mess spectra of the 3-substituted compounds abundant [M – H]⁺ peaks are observed. This allows a clear distinction between 3- and 4-substituted pyridazines, as the spectra of the latter isomers show only very weak [M – H]⁺ signals. The stability of [M – H]⁺ ions derived from 3-alkylpyridazines (deduced from only the very low abundance of further fragment ions) gives strong evidence for a cyclic structure of these ions. One fragmentation pathway typical of the parent pyridazine, the [M - N₂] fragmentation, was not detectable with any of the phenylalkylpyridazines investigated. Instead, loss of HCN, H₃CN⁺ and N²H⁺ was observed. An interesting fragmentation, observed with 3-(2-phenylethyl)pyridazine, is the loss of ⁺CH₃ from the molecular ion and also from the [M – H]⁺ ion.     

Characterization of isomeric 1,2,4-oxadiazolyl-N-methylpyridinium salts by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

The mass spectrometry behavior of 1,2,4-oxadiazolyl-N-methylpyridinium salts has been investigated. These substances are of current interest as perspective ionic liquids, compounds used as green solvents for synthesis, and for their catalytic properties. The studies have been developed through ESI-MS/MS experiments. The obtained results demonstrate that a readily distinction between the two isomeric classes, 3- N-methylpyridinium- and 5-N-methylpyridinium-1,2,4-oxadiazoles, is possible through ESI-MS/MS experiments. A deeper investigation on the principal fragmentation pathways of characteristic ions has been also developed.     

Electron ionization and chemical ionization fragmentation of o/p isomers of bisphenol-A with tandem mass spectrometry

The fragmentation of o/p isomers of bisphenol-A was examined by using collisionally activated decomposition and the tanden mass spectrometric techniques. Also chemical ionization was performed using methane, isobutane and ammonia. The o/p position of the hydroxy groups in the bisphenol-A molecule directed the fragmentation both in electron and chemical ionization.     

Thermospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry of dyes

Sixteen commercial dye samples and three liquid wastes from organic pigment and dye manufacture have been characterized without prior chromatography by thermospray ionization and low energy collision-activated dissociation of protonated molecules using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Many samples contained precursors of the dyes and other by-products of the synthesis. Many of these components were identified by collision-activated dissociation experiments and by inspection of the chemistry of dye manufacture. Detection limits of 20–200 ng in the positive ion mode were obtained for seven dyes of the anthraquinone, triarylmethane, xanthene, coumarin, azo and sulfonated azo dye classes. Under conditions of negative ionization, detection limits for an anthraquinone dye and a sulfonated azo dye were about one order of magnitude higher.     

Low-resolution accurate mass measurement in self-chemical ionization mass spectrometry

Low-resolution (2000, 10% valley definition) accurate mass measurements using self-chemical ionization (self-CI) have been evaluated as an alternative to the conventional chemical ionization (CI) method. In conventional CI experiments a high pressure of reagent gas is required to induce ionization while in self-CI no reagent gas is used and the self-CI is produced presumably by molecular/fragment ion–molecule reactions. Nine compounds ranging in mass from 50–500 daltons were examined. Results obtained by the self-CI method indicate that the elemental composition assignment can be obtained simultaneously for the protonated molecule and/or molecular ion. It is also shown that perfluorokerosene can be used routinely in self-CI as an internal reference standard over a broad mass range (50–500 daltons). It is sometimes difficult to use a single reference standard in conventional low-resolution CI accurate mass spectrometry over a similar mass range.     

Electron ionization mass spectra of alkylated sulfabenzamides

Mono‐, di‐ and trialkyl derivatives of 'sulfabenzamide' (N‐4‐aminophenylsulfonylbenzamide) have been prepared and their electron ionization (EI) mass spectra examined. It is found that the fragmentation of N‐alkylsulfabenzamides (alkyl = CH₃ to n‐C₅H₁₁) proceeds via a very specific rearrangement process. The proposed mechanism involves an intermediate formation of distonic molecular ions, and the driving force for this process is the formation of stable N‐alkylphenylcyanide cations [R‐N⁺ ? CC₆H₅]. The findings are confirmed by exact mass measurements, tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) experiments and deuterium labeling. Published in 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electron ionization mass spectrometry of citrus limonoids

Electron ionization (EI) mass spectrometry was used to differentiate four structurally closely related citrus limonoid aglycones, including limonin, nomilin, obacunone, and deacetylnomilin. The limonoids were isolated and purified from citrus seeds. Structures of major fragment ions were elucidated by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and fragmentation pathways were proposed. The fragmentation patterns observed in the EI spectra can be used as important references for the positive characterization of limonoid aglycones.     

Electron ionization mass spectra of acetals of beta-D-glycopyranosylnitromethanes

O-Isopropylidene and O-benzylidene acetals of common 2, 6-anhydro-1-deoxy-1-nitroalditols (beta-D-glyco- pyranosylnitromethanes) derived from D-glucose, D-galactose and D-mannose were studied by electron ionization (EI) mass spectrometry. Fragment pathways of the title compounds were studied using accurate mass measurements, collision-induced dissociation, B/E and B2/E measurements of selected ions and mass spectra of O-deuterium-labelled compound. The fragmentation pathways and some differences found among the mass spectra of stereoisomers are discussed. Noteworthy is the splitting off of the (.)NO(2) radical and elimination of acetone from the molecular ions of 4, 6-O-benzylidene-2, 3-O-isopropylidene-beta-D-galactopyranosylnitromethane. This fragmentation route of relatively high abundance was not observed in the case of D-gluco and D-manno analogues. The differences in the EI mass spectra of stereoisomers may help to provide some information serving for the estimation of the stereochemical arrangement of compounds of this type. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electron ionization and chemical ionization mass spectra of pyridinium and isoquinolinium ylides

Electron ionization (EI) spectra and both positive and negative chemical ionization (CI) spectra have been obtained for four isoquinolinium ylides and two pyridinium ylides. Electron transfer reactions dominate the CI mass specra. The base peak in negative chemical ionization is the [M]^?· ion, formed by electron capture. In the positive methane CI spectra the molecular ion, [M]^+·, is relatively more intense than [MH]⁺ showing electron transfer to be the main positive ionization process. In the positive ammonia CI spectra, proton transfer to give [MH]⁺ is the main ionization process, but electron transfer is also observed. The EI spectra show fragmentations in which the aromatic nitrogen moiety retains the charge and fragmentation is by loss of radicals or small neutral molecules from the side-chains. Radical driven reactions are proposed to explain these spectra.     

Electrospray ionization, accurate mass measurements and multistage mass spectrometry experiments in the characterization of stereoisomeric isoquinoline alkaloids

Mass spectrometry has been employed for the characterization of diastereoisomeric isoquinoline alkaloids. Electrospray ionization was used to generate MH(+) ions, and multistage collisionally activated spectra allowed differentiation among the different compounds via specific fragmentation patterns, whose mechanisms have also been elucidated by accurate mass measurements.     

Electron ionization mass spectra and tautomerism of 2-phenacylpyridines

The electron ionization mass spectra of 2-phenacylpyridine (ketimine form) and its 13 derivatives substituted in the benzene ring (1an: a R = H, b 3-Me, c 4-Me, d 4-NH(2), e 3-F, f 4-F, g 4-OMe, h 4-Cl,i 4-N(CH(3))(2),j 4-NO(2), k 4-CF(3), l 4-N(CH(2))(4), m 4- Br, n 3-Br) were recorded at 70 eV to determine the fragmentation routes and to screen the presence of their enolimine tautomers, (Z-)-2-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylvinyl)pyridines in the gas phase. The total ion currents (TIC) of the ions [MH](+), [MHCO](+), 2-PyCH(2)O(+), and RC(6)H(4)CO(+) (= ArCO(+) ) showed a fair or good correlation with the Hammett s constants (R = 0.859, 0.876, 0.912, and 0.926, respectively). The relative abundances (RA) of both the [MCO](+.) and the [MHCO](+) ion increased with the decreasing electron donating ability of the substituents and also correlated relatively well with the Hammett constants (R = 0.834 and 0.907, respectively). These observations, in comparison to the NMR results, show that the relative contribution of the ketimine tautomer also increases in the gas phase with the increasing electron donating ability of the phenyl substituent, i.e. the TIC of the ArCO(+) ion decreases whereas that of [MH](+) ion increases.     

Differentiation of diiodothyronines using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Diiodothyronines 3,5-diiodothyronine (3,5-T2), 3',5'-diiodothyronine (3',5'-T2), and 3,3'-diiodothyronine (3,3'-T2) are important metabolites of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (rT3; reverse T3). In this paper, a novel and rapid method for identifying and quantifying 3,5-T2, 3',5'-T2 and 3,3'-T2 has been introduced using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Fragmentation patterns were proposed on the basis of our data obtained by ESI-MS/MS. MS2 spectra in either negative ionization mode or positive ionization mode can be used to differentiate 3,5-T2, 3',5'-T2 and 3,3'-T2. On the basis of the relative abundance of fragment ions in MS2 spectra under the positive ionization mode, quantification of the 3,5-T2, 3',5'-T2 and 3,3'-T2 isomers in mixtures is also achieved without prior separation.     

Differentiation of monoiodothyronines using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

In this work two monoiodothyronines, 3-T1 and 3'-T1, have been analyzed using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Fragmentation patterns were proposed based on our data obtained by ESI-MS/MS. MS2 spectra in either negative or positive ion mode can be used to differentiate 3-T1 and 3'-T1. Based on the relative abundance of fragment ions in MS2 spectra in the negative ion mode, quantification of the 3-T1 and 3'-T1 isomers in mixtures is achieved without prior separation. Solid-phase extraction in combination with ESI-MS/MS provides a practicable procedure that can be used to determine the molar ratio of 3-T1 and 3'-T1 in human serum with an error less than 3%. The detection limits for 3-T1 and 3'-T1 were 0.5 and 0.7 pg/microL, respectively.     

Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry of glycerophosphoethanolamine plasmalogen phospholipids

Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the [M + H]⁺ of glycerophospholipids typically results in abundant fragment ions that are related to the polar head group or loss of the polar head group. An exception to this general rule occurs for glycerophosphoethanolamines (GPEtn), which are a class of phospholipids that can have an acyl, 1-O-alkyl, or 1-O-alk-1′-enyl group as a substituent at the sn-1 position. The CID of the [M + H]⁺ of diacyl-GPEtn typically results in the expected loss of the phosphoethanolamine head group (141 Da). Therefore, constant neutral loss of 141 Da has been used as a diagnostic tool for the determination of GPEtn species in complex lipid mixtures. One disadvantage in using constant neutral loss of 141 Da in order to determine GPEtn content in lipid mixtures is that plasmalogen GPEtn does not undergo neutral loss of phosphoethanolamine to the same extent as diacyl-GPEtn. The current studies have used positive ion mode electrospray tandem mass spectrometry to study the collision-induced dissociation of various GPEtn plasmalogens present in the phospholipid membranes of human neutrophils. The CID of the [M + H]⁺ of plasmalogen GPEtn resulted in two prominent fragment ions; one that was characteristic of the sn-1 position and one that was characteristic of the sn-2 position. These two ions were used to detect specific molecular species of GPEtn containing esterified arachidonate (precursors of m/z 361) present in the human neutrophil.