title: In-source and postsource decay in negative-ion matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of neutral oligosaccharides.
abstract: Cross-ring cleavage ions produced by in-source decay (ISD), as well as deprotonated molecular ions [M - H]-, are invariably observed in negative-ion linear-mode matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry spectra of neutral oligosaccharides with 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole (norharman) as a matrix. The patterns of ISD ions depend on the oligosaccharide linkage type; thus, these ions are potentially useful in linkage analysis. In postsource decay (PSD) spectra from chlorinated molecular ions [M + Cl]-, all PSD ions are observed in the deprotonated form, although no deprotonated molecular ions are detected. In oligosaccharides having an alditol at the reducing end, deprotonated molecular ions [M - H]- are clearly seen in linear-mode mass spectra and survive in the PSD measurements. These results indicate that the deprotonation process drives ISD and PSD of oligosaccharides and that keto-enol tautomerization at the reducing terminal promotes ISD and PSD processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. yamagaki@chem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamagaki
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tachibana
mesh_terms: D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000032:analysis*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D009844:Oligosaccharides