Distinguishing Isomeric Aromatic Radical Cations by Using Energy-Resolved Ion Trap and Medium Energy Collision-Activated Dissociation Mass Spectrometry.

Different collision-activated dissociation (CAD) methods were evaluated for their effectiveness at distinguishing several ionized isomeric aromatic compounds by using a linear quadrupole ion trap/orbitrap mass spectrometer. The compounds were ionized by using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) with carbon disulfide solvent in the positive ion mode to generate stable molecular ions with limited fragmentation. They were subjected to CAD in the linear quadrupole ion trap (ITCAD) and in an octupole collision cell (medium-energy collision-activated dissociation, MCAD; also known as HCD). Experiments conducted by attempting to vary ion activation times revealed that MCAD and ITCAD occur in the microsecond and millisecond time regimes, respectively. MCAD was found to impart substantially greater internal energies into the molecular ions compared to ITCAD. Accordingly, molecular ions subjected to MCAD favored dissociation via fast σ-bond cleavages, while molecular ions subjected to ITCAD tended to favor rearrangement reactions. MCAD used in the energy-resolved mode (ER-MCAD) enabled the distinction of six ionized isomeric compounds from each other based on modified crossing-point energies (collision energies where the molecular ions and selected fragment ions have an equal abundance). This was not true for ER-ITCAD. Overall, MCAD was superior over ITCAD at the differentiation of isomeric ions, and it provided more detailed structural information.

Exploring the Reaction Mechanisms of Fast Pyrolysis of Xylan Model Compounds via Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Quantum Chemical Calculations.

A commercial fast pyrolysis probe coupled with a high-resolution tandem mass spectrometer was employed to identify the initial reactions and products of fast pyrolysis of xylobiose and xylotriose, model compounds of xylans. Fragmentation of the reducing end by loss of an ethenediol molecule via ring-opening and retro-aldol condensation was found to be the dominant pyrolysis pathway for xylobiose, and the structure of the product-ß-d-xylopyranosylglyceraldehyde-was identified by comparing collision-activated dissociation of the ionized product and an ionized authentic compound. This intermediate can undergo further decomposition via the loss of formaldehyde to form ß-d-xylopyranosylglycolaldehyde. In addition, the mechanisms of reactions leading to the loss of a water molecule or dissociation of the glycosidic linkages were explored computationally. These reactions are proposed to occur via pinacol ring contraction and/or Maccoll elimination mechanisms.

Differentiation of Deprotonated Acyl-, N-, and O-Glucuronide Drug Metabolites by Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry Based on Gas-Phase Ion-Molecule Reactions Followed by Collision-Activated Dissociation.

Glucuronidation, a common phase II biotransformation reaction, is one of the major in vitro and in vivo metabolism pathways of xenobiotics. In this process, glucuronic acid is conjugated to a drug or a drug metabolite via a carboxylic acid, a hydroxy, or an amino group to form acyl-, O-, and/or N-glucuronide metabolites, respectively. This process is traditionally thought to be a detoxification pathway. However, some acyl-glucuronides react with biomolecules in vivo, which may result in immune-mediated idiosyncratic drug toxicity (IDT). In order to avoid this, one may attempt in early drug discovery to modify the lead compounds in such a manner that they then have a lower probability of forming reactive acyl-glucuronide metabolites. Because most drugs or drug candidates bear multiple functionalities, e.g., hydroxy, amino, and carboxylic acid groups, glucuronidation can occur at any of those. However, differentiation of isomeric acyl-, N-, and O-glucuronide derivatives of drugs is challenging. In this study, gas-phase ion-molecule reactions between deprotonated glucuronide metabolites and BF3 followed by collision-activated dissociation (CAD) in a linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer were demonstrated to enable the differentiation of acyl-, N-, and O-glucuronides. Only deprotonated N-glucuronides and deprotonated, migrated acyl-glucuronides form the two diagnostic product ions: a BF3 adduct that has lost two HF molecules, [M - H + BF3 - 2HF]-, and an adduct formed with two BF3 molecules that has lost three HF molecules, [M - H + 2BF3 - 3HF]-. These product ions were not observed for deprotonated O-glucuronides and unmigrated, deprotonated acyl-glucuronides. Upon CAD of the [M - H + 2BF3 - 3HF]- product ion, a diagnostic fragment ion is formed via the loss of 2-fluoro-1,3,2-dioxaborale (MW of 88 Da) only in the case of deprotonated, migrated acyl-glucuronides. Therefore, this method can be used to unambiguously differentiate acyl-, N-, and O-glucuronides. Further, coupling this methodology with HPLC enables the differentiation of unmigrated 1-ß-acyl-glucuronides from the isomeric acyl-glucuronides formed upon acyl migration. Quantum chemical calculations at the M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory were employed to probe the mechanisms of the reactions of interest.

Molecular-Level Understanding of the Major Fragmentation Mechanisms of Cellulose Fast Pyrolysis: An Experimental Approach Based on Isotopically Labeled Model Compounds.

Evaluation of the feasibility of various mechanisms possibly involved in cellulose fast pyrolysis is challenging. Therefore, selectively 13C-labeled cellotriose, 18O-labeled cellobiose, and 13C- and 18O-doubly-labeled cellobiose were synthesized and subjected to fast pyrolysis in an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization source of a linear quadrupole ion trap/orbitrap mass spectrometer. The initial products were immediately quenched, ionized using ammonium cations, and subsequently analyzed using the mass spectrometer. The loss or retention of isotope labels upon pyrolysis unambiguously revealed three major competing mechanisms-sequential losses of glycolaldehyde/ethenediol molecules from the reducing end (the reducing-end unraveling mechanism), hydroxymethylene-assisted glycosidic bond cleavage (HAGBC mechanism), and Maccoll elimination. Important discoveries include the following: (1) Reducing-end unraveling is the predominant mechanism occurring at the reducing end; (2) Maccoll elimination facilitates the cleaving of aglyconic bonds, and it is the mechanism leading to formation of reducing carbohydrates; 3) HAGBC occurs for glycosides but not at the reducing end of cellodextrins; 4) HAGBC and water loss are the predominant reactions for fast pyrolysis of 1,6-anhydrocellodextrins; and 5) HAGBC can proceed after reducing-end unraveling but unraveling does not occur once the HAGBC reaction pathway is initiated. Moreover, hydrolysis was conclusively ruled out for fast pyrolysis of cellobiose, cellotriose, and 1,6-anhydrocellodextrins up to cellotetraosan. No radical reactions were observed.

Dehydration Pathways for Glucose and Cellobiose During Fast Pyrolysis.

A full understanding of all possible elementary reactions applicable to cellulose fast pyrolysis is key to developing a comprehensive kinetic model for fast pyrolysis of cellulose. Since water is an observed product of fast pyrolysis of cellulose, the energetics of the dehydration reactions of cellulose were explored computationally by using density functional theory. Glucose and cellobiose were selected as the cellulose model compounds. The four water loss mechanisms studied are Maccoll elimination, Pinacol ring contraction, cyclic Grob fragmentation, and alcohol condensation, some of which have not been considered previously in the literature. Levoglucosan formation via alcohol condensation has the lowest calculated free-energy barrier (50.4 kcal mol-1) for glucose dehydration. All other water loss reactions have calculated free-energy barriers greater than 60 kcal mol-1. Cellobiose dehydration shows similar trends to those of glucose, suggesting that these reactions are applicable to glucooligosaccharides with higher degrees of polymerization. Secondary reactions of dehydrated glucose and dehydrated cellobiose via retro-Diels-Alder and aldol rearrangement mechanisms are also explored computationally.

Differentiating Isomeric Deprotonated Glucuronide Drug Metabolites via Ion/Molecule Reactions in Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Isomeric O- and N-glucuronides are common drug metabolites produced in phase II of drug metabolism. Distinguishing these isomers by using common analytical techniques has proven challenging. A tandem mass spectrometric method based on gas-phase ion/molecule reactions of deprotonated glucuronide drug metabolites with trichlorosilane (HSiCl3) in a linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer is reported here to readily enable differentiation of the O- and N-isomers. The major product ion observed upon reactions of HSiCl3 with deprotonated N-glucuronides is a diagnostic HSiCl3 adduct that has lost two HCl molecules ([M - H + HSiCl3 - 2HCl]-). This product ion was not observed for deprotonated O-glucuronides. Reaction mechanisms were explored with quantum chemical calculations at the M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory.

Identification of Protonated Sulfone and Aromatic Carboxylic Acid Functionalities in Organic Molecules by Using Ion-Molecule Reactions Followed by Collisionally Activated Dissociation in a Linear Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer.

Gas-phase reactivity of protonated model compounds with different functional groups toward trimethoxymethylsilane (TMMS) was studied to explore the utility of this reagent in mass spectrometric identification of specific functionalities for potentially rapid characterization of drug metabolites. Only protonated analytes with a carboxylic acid, a sulfone, or a sulfonamide functionality formed diagnostic adducts that had lost a methanol molecule upon reactions with TMMS. Collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) of these methanol-eliminated adduct ions (MS3 experiments) produced characteristic fragment ions of m/z 75, 105, and 123 for sulfones, while an additional methanol elimination was observed for carboxylic acids and sulfonamides. CAD of latter products (MS4 experiments) resulted in elimination of diagnostic neutral molecules CO2 (44 Da) and C2H6O2Si (90 Da) for aromatic carboxylic acids. Both aliphatic carboxylic acids and sulfonamides yield several fragment ions in these MS4 experiments that are different from those observed for sulfones or aromatic carboxylic acids. Potential energy surfaces were calculated (at the M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory) to explore the mechanisms of various reactions. In summary, sulfones and aromatic carboxylic acids can be differentiated from each other and also from sulfonamides and aliphatic carboxylic acids based on reactions with TMMS and one or two CAD experiments. Aliphatic carboxylic acids and sulfonamides could not be differentiated from each other.

A Fundamental Tandem Mass Spectrometry Study of the Collision-Activated Dissociation of Small Deprotonated Molecules Related to Lignin.

The collision-activated fragmentation pathways and reaction mechanisms of 34 deprotonated model compounds representative of lignin degradation products were explored experimentally and computationally. The compounds were evaporated and ionized by using negative-ion mode electrospray ionization doped with NaOH to produce abundant deprotonated molecules. The ions were isolated and subjected to collision-activated dissociation (CAD). Their fragment ions were then isolated and also subjected to CAD. This was repeated until no further fragmentation was observed (up to MS6 ). This approach enabled the identification of characteristic reaction pathways and delineation of reasonable fragmentation mechanisms for deprotonated molecules containing various functional groups. The varying fragmentation patterns observed for different types of compounds allow for the identification of the functionalities in these compounds. This information was utilized to identify the presence of specific functionalities and their combinations in molecules in an organosolv lignin sample.

Mass spectrometric studies of fast pyrolysis of cellulose.

A fast pyrolysis probe/linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer combination was used to study the primary fast pyrolysis products (those that first leave the hot pyrolysis surface) of cellulose, cellobiose, cellotriose, cellotetraose, cellopentaose, and cellohexaose, as well as of cellobiosan, cellotriosan, and cellopentosan, at 600°C. Similar products with different branching ratios were found for the oligosaccharides and cellulose, as reported previously. However, identical products (with the exception of two) with similar branching ratios were measured for cellotriosan (and cellopentosan) and cellulose. This result demonstrates that cellotriosan is an excellent small-molecule surrogate for studies of the fast pyrolysis of cellulose and also that most fast pyrolysis products of cellulose do not originate from the reducing end. Based on several observations, the fast pyrolysis of cellulose is suggested to initiate predominantly via two competing processes: the formation of anhydro-oligosaccharides, such as cellobiosan, cellotriosan, and cellopentosan (major route), and the elimination of glycolaldehyde (or isomeric) units from the reducing end of oligosaccharides formed from cellulose during fast pyrolysis.

Fast pyrolysis of 13C-labeled cellobioses: gaining insights into the mechanisms of fast pyrolysis of carbohydrates.

A fast-pyrolysis probe/tandem mass spectrometer combination was utilized to determine the initial fast-pyrolysis products for four different selectively (13)C-labeled cellobiose molecules. Several products are shown to result entirely from fragmentation of the reducing end of cellobiose, leaving the nonreducing end intact in these products. These findings are in disagreement with mechanisms proposed previously. Quantum chemical calculations were used to identify feasible low-energy pathways for several products. These results provide insights into the mechanisms of fast pyrolysis of cellulose.