| Abstract: | Desorption/chemical ionization mass spectrometry (D/CI.-MS.) is a recently developed technique especially indicated for highly polar and non volatile compounds. Various naturally occurring glycosides such as saponins, iridoid and secoiridoid glycosides, cardenolides and flavone-O-glycosides have been investigated by this method. All the measurements were carried out on underivatized compounds. In addition to the structural informations generally furnished by field-desorption mass spectrometry (molecular ion and sugar sequence), the molecular ion and pertinent fragments of the aglycone could also be obtained. |
