Tandem spectrometry

This is one of the newer books covering tandem spectrometry and is a useful resource for the beginner and experienced mass... 

In 2012 an ESl-MS investigation of Rh-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction was reported [53]. In this DFT-supported study, several key intermediates were observed and characterized by MS/MS tandem spectrometry. Although reactant and product are neutral, the charged catalyst provided a good opportunity to intercept visible intermediates. A species with m/z 974.1 was assigned based on its accurate mass and fragmentation pattern however, as is often the case with mass spectrometry-based experiments, the authors were unable to distinguish between isomeric structures (Scheme 6). 

Theoretical calculations support a low-energy oxidative addition mechanism [26c], Reaction of the unsolvated cationic complex Cp Ir(PMe3)(CH3) with pentane, cyclohexane or benzene in the gas phase also gives Cp Ir(PMe3)(R) as the product. However, a mechanistic investigation of this process by electrospray tandem spectrometry has demonstrated that neither the oxidative addition-elimination mechanism nor the concerted a-bond metathesis mechanism is operative. Instead, the authors proposed a dissociative elimination-addition mechanism which proceeds through a series of 16-electron Ir(III) intermediates [26d]. 

Finzi, J.K Donato, J.L. Sucupira, M. Nucci, G.D. Determination of nitrofuran metabohtes in poultry muscle and eggs by hquid chromatography-tandem spectrometry. J. Chromatogr. B, 2005, 824, 30-35. 

An AutoSpec-TOF mass spectrometer has a magnetic sector and an electron multiplier ion detector for carrying out one type of mass spectrometry plus a TOF analyzer with a microchannel plate multipoint ion collector for another type of mass spectrometry. Either analyzer can be used separately, or the two can be run in tandem (Figure 20.4). 

Until 1981, mass spectrometry was limited, generally, to the analysis of volatile, relatively low-molecular-mass samples and was difficult to apply to nonvolatile peptides and proteins without first cutting them chemically into smaller volatile segments. During the past decade, the situation has changed radically with the advent of new ionization techniques and the development of tandem mass spectrometry. Now, the mass spectrometer has a well-deserved place in any laboratory interested in the analysis of peptides and proteins. 

However, interpretation of, or even obtaining, the mass spectrum of a peptide can be difficult, and many techniques have been introduced to overcome such difficulties. These techniques include modifying the side chains in the peptide and protecting the N- and C-terminals by special groups. Despite many advances made by these approaches, it is not always easy to read the sequence from the mass spectrum because some amide bond cleavages are less easy than others and give little information. To overcome this problem, tandem mass spectrometry has been applied to this dry approach to peptide sequencing with considerable success. Further, electrospray ionization has been used to determine the molecular masses of proteins and peptides with unprecedented accuracy. 

Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) produces precise structural or sequence information by selective and specific induced fragmentation on samples up to several thousand Daltons. For samples of greater molecular mass than this, an enzyme digest will usually produce several peptides of molecular mass suitable for sequencing by mass spectrometry. The smaller sequences can be used to deduce the sequence of the whole protein. 

Busch, K.L., Glish, G.L., and McLuckey, S.A., Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications of Tandem Mass Spectrometry, VCH, New York, 1988. 

Kinter, M. and Sherman, N.E., Protein Sequencing and Identification Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Wiley, Chichester, U.K., 2000. 

McFadden, W.H., Techniques of Combined Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry, Wiley, New York, 1973. McLafferty, F.W., Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Wiley, New York, 1983. 

Multidimensional or hyphenated instmments employ two or more analytical instmmental techniques, either sequentially, or in parallel. Hence, one can have multidimensional separations, eg, hplc/gc, identifications, ms/ms, or separations/identifications, such as gc/ms (see CHROMATOGRAPHY Mass spectrometry). The purpose of interfacing two or more analytical instmments is to increase the analytical information while reducing data acquisition time. For example, in tandem-mass spectrometry (ms/ms) (17,18), the first mass spectrometer appHes soft ionization to separate the mixture of choice into molecular ions the second mass spectrometer obtains the mass spectmm of each ion. 

Tandem mass spectrometry or ms/ms was first introduced in the 1970s and gained rapid acceptance in the analytical community. The technique has been used for stmcture elucidation of unknowns (26) and has the abiUty to provide sensitive and selective analysis of complex mixtures with minimal sample clean-up (27). Developments in the mid-1980s advancing the popularity of ms/ms included the availabiUty of powerhil data systems capable of controlling the ms/ms experiment and the viabiUty of soft ionisation techniques which essentially yield only molecular ion species. 

The main advantages of the ms/ms systems are related to the sensitivity and selectivity they provide. Two mass analyzers in tandem significantly enhance selectivity. Thus samples in very complex matrices can be characterized quickly with Htde or no sample clean-up. Direct introduction of samples such as coca leaves or urine into an ms or even a gc/lc/ms system requires a clean-up step that is not needed in tandem mass spectrometry (28,29). Adding the sensitivity of the electron multiplier to this type of selectivity makes ms/ms a powerhil analytical tool, indeed. It should be noted that introduction of very complex materials increases the frequency of ion source cleaning compared to single-stage instmments where sample clean-up is done first. 

The liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) technique was proposed for the determination of corticosteroids in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, liquor) of children with leucosis. Preliminai y sample prepai ation included the sedimentation of proteins, spinning and solid-phase extraction. MS detection was performed by scanning selected ions, with three chai acteristic ions for every corticosteroids. The limit of detection was found 80 pg/ml of plasma. 

FIGURE 5.24 Tandem mass spectrometry, (a) Configuration used in tandem MS. 

Finnt, D. F., et al., 1987. Tandem qnadrnpole Fourier tran.sform ma.ss. spectrometry of oligopeptides and small protein.s. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A. 84 620—623. 

An on-line chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-APCI/MS/MS) methods was developed for rapid screen of pharmacokinetics of different drugs, including 5 (98RCM1216). The electron impact mass spectrum of 5 and ethyl 9,10-difluoro-3-methyl-7-oxo-2,3-dihydro-7Ff-pyrido[l,2,3- fe]-l,4-benzoxazine-6-carboxylate was reported (97MI28). Electron impact/Fourier transform... 

Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is a method for obtaining sequence and structural information by measurement of the mass-to-charge ratios of ionized molecules before and after dissociation reactions within a mass spectrometer which consists essentially of two mass spectrometers in tandem. In the first step, precursor ions are selected for further fragmentation by energy impact and interaction with a collision gas. The generated product ions can be analyzed by a second scan step. MS/MS measurements of peptides can be performed using electrospray or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization in combination with triple quadruple, ion trap, quadrupole-TOF (time-of-flight), TOF-TOF or ion cyclotron resonance MS. Tandem... 

Laali and Lattimer (1989 see also Laali, 1990) observed arenediazonium ion/crown ether complexes in the gas phase by field desorption (FD) and by fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry. The FAB-MS spectrum of benzenediazonium ion/18-crown-6 shows a 1 1 complex. In the FD spectrum, apart from the 1 1 complex, a one-cation/two-crown complex is also detected. Dicyclo-hexano-24-crown-6 appears to complex readily in the gas phase, whereas in solution this crown ether is rather poor for complexation (see earlier in this section) the presence of one or three methyl groups in the 2- or 2,4,6-positions respectively has little effect on the gas-phase complexation. With 4-nitrobenzenediazonium ion, 18-crown-6 even forms a 1 3 complex. The authors assume charge-transfer complexes such as 11.13 for all these species. There is also evidence for hydride ion transfer from the crown host within the 1 1 complex, and for either the arenediazonium ion or the aryl cation formed from it under the reaction conditions in the gas phase in tandem mass spectrometry (Laali, 1990). 

The ion spray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS) interface coupled via a postsuppressor split with an ion chromatography (IC) has been used in the analysis of alcohol sulfates. The IC-MS readily produces the molecular weight while the tandem mass spectrometric detection IC-MS-MS provides structural information [305]. 

Brain et al. [137] reported a tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) procedure by which a direct measurement from an n-pentane extract of a surfactant is possible. This procedure is excellent from the standpoint of sensitivity and simplicity of sample preparation but is not commonly applied because of the need of an MS-MS instrument. 

Vieno NM, Tuhkanen T, Kronberg L (2006) Analysis of neutral and basic pharmaceuticals in sewage treatment plants and in recipient rivers using solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection. J Chromatogr A 1134 101-111... 

Castiglioni S, Zuccato E, Crisci E, Chiabrando C, Fanelly R, Bagnati R (2006) Identification and measurement of illicit drugs and their metabolites in urban wastewater by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 78 8421-8429... 

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