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Glycosphingolipid fragmentation behavior was investigated by combining results from analysis of a series of negative ion tandem mass spectra and molecular modeling. Fragmentation patterns extracted from 75 tandem mass spectra of mainly acidic glycosphingolipid species (gangliosides) suggest prominent cleavage of the glycosidic bonds with retention of the glycosidic oxygen atom by the species formed from the reducing end (B and Y ion formation). Dominant product ions arise from dissociation of sialic acids glycosidic bonds whereas product ions resulting from cleavage of other glycosidic bonds are less abundant. Potential energy surfaces and unimolecular reaction rates of several low-energy fragmentation pathways leading to cleavage of glycosidic bonds were estimated in order to explain observed dissociation patterns. Glycosidic bond cleavage in both neutral (unsubstituted glycosyl group) and acidic glycosphingolipids was the outcome of the charge-directed intramolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2) mechanism. According to the suggested mechanism, the nucleophile in a form of carboxylate or oxyanion attacks the carbon at position one of the sugar ring, simultaneously breaking the glycosidic bond and yielding an epoxide. For gangliosides, unimolecular reaction rates suggest that dominant product ions related to the cleavage of sialic acid glycosidic bonds are formed via direct dissociation channels. On the other hand, low abundant product ions related to the dissociation of other glycosidic bonds are more likely to be the result of sequential dissociation. Although results from this study mainly contribute to the understanding of glycosphingolipid fragmentation chemistry, some mechanistic findings regarding cleavage of the glycosidic bond may be applicable to other glycoconjugates.

Photothermal reactions of the dimers of nitrosobenzene, m-chloronitrosobenzene, and p-chloronitrosobenzene were studied in solid-state by IR spectroscopy at low temperatures and by X-ray powder diffraction. It was found for the first time that photothermal cycle (photolytic dissociation fol-lowed by thermal dimerization) could successively be performed also with Z-configured dimeric nitroso-benzene. Halonitrosobenzenes dimers with E-configuration afforded different photo behavior depending on the po-sition of halogen atom on the benzene ring: while m-halonitrosobenzenes do not dissociate under UV ir-radiation, p-chloronitrosobenzene, as well as previously studied p-bromonitrosobenzene photolyses very efficiently with recovering of the original crystal phase. Kinetics of thermal dimerization was measured in solid-state, and it was found that the reaction phase transformation occurs as a two-dimensional growth through the crystal. (doi: 10.5562/cca1714)

The complexes formed by alkali metal cations (Cat+ = Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+) and singly charged tryptic peptides were investigated by combining results from the low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) and ion mobility experiments with molecular dynamics and density functional theory calculations. The structure and reactivity of [M + H + Cat]2+ tryptic peptides is greatly influenced by charge repulsion as well as the ability of the peptide to solvate charge points. Charge separation between fragment ions occurs upon dissociation, i.e. b ions tend to be alkali metal cationised while y ions are protonated, suggesting the location of the cation towards the peptide N-terminus. The low-energy dissociation channels were found to be strongly dependant on the cation size. Complexes containing smaller cations (Li+ or Na+) dissociate predominantly by sequence-specific cleavages, whereas the main process for complexes containing larger cations (Rb+) is cation expulsion and formation of [M + H]+. The obtained structural data might suggest a relationship between the peptide primary structure and the nature of the cation coordination shell. Peptides with a significant number of side chain carbonyl oxygens provide good charge solvation without the need for involving peptide bond carbonyl groups and thus forming a tight globular structure. However, due to the lack of the conformational flexibility which would allow effective solvation of both charges (the cation and the proton) peptides with seven or less amino acids are unable to form sufficiently abundant [M + H + Cat]2+ ion. Finally, the fact that [M + H + Cat]2+ peptides dissociate similarly as [M + H]+ (via sequence-specific cleavages, however, with the additional formation of alkali metal cationised b ions) offers a way for generating the low-energy CID spectra of ‘singly charged’ tryptic peptides. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.