Abstract: | The mass spectra of ten di- and tri-oxygenated stictane triterpenoids and their trimethylsilyl derivatives have been studied in detail. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry of the TMS derivatives on OV-17 and OV-101 columns provided useful separations and identifications of mixtures of stictanes triterpenoids in lichen extracts. The major fragmentations involve ring C, but specific cleavages in rings A, B and E are also observed which allow the substitution pattern of the skeleton to be readily determined. The formation of an intense M – C5H11?]+ ion for 22α-OTMS stictanes appears specific to their ring E configuration. |