title: Analysis of benzylisoquinoline-type alkaloids by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and atmospheric pressure photoionization.
abstract: Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids found in the Papaveraceae family play a major role in pharmaceutical biology. This is the first systematic study dealing with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) of all benzylisoquinolines found as biogenetic precursors of morphinan alkaloids. Tandem mass spectral data are presented for norlaudanosoline, laudanosoline, 4'-O-methyl-norlaudanosoline, 6-O-methyl-norlaudanosoline, norcoclaurine, coclaurine, N-methylcoclaurine, N-methyl-3'-hydroxycoclaurine, N-methyl-3'-O-methylcoclaurine, norreticuline and reticuline. This study compares results obtained using an ion trap mass spectrometer with those obtained using a triple quadrupole one. The results highlight the differences of the tandem-in-time versus the tandem-in-space principle, often hampering the development of ESI-MS/MS libraries. Additionally, the use of the atmospheric pressure photoionisation technique for the analysis of such substances is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz-Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Weinberg 3, D-06120 Halle/S., Germany. jschmidt@ipb-halle.de
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raith
authors.forename: Chotima
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boettcher
authors.forename: Meinhart H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zenk
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009019:Morphinans / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D028101:Papaveraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D009019:Morphinans