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Reduction of nitriles to amines in positive ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
Author(s) -
Gu Zheming,
Ma Jiyuan,
Zhao Xianguo,
Wu Jinn,
Zhang Donglu
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.2690
Subject(s) - chemistry , benzonitrile , nitrile , acetonitrile , adduct , mass spectrometry , ethylamine , electrospray ionization , chemical ionization , deuterium , propionitrile , hydrogen , ion , ionization , organic chemistry , chromatography , quantum mechanics , physics
Some compounds readily form [M+46] + adduct ions during positive ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry ((+)ESI‐MS) analysis. These [M+46] + ions were characterized as [M+CH 3 CH 2 NH 2 +H] + by accurate mass determination. Ethylamine involved in the adduct was proposed to be the reduction product of acetonitrile and this was confirmed using deuterated acetonitrile. Other nitrile‐containing compounds tested, including isobutyronitrile and benzonitrile, also formed the adduct ions of the respective amine forms under (+)ESI‐MS conditions. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange experiments demonstrated that the reductive hydrogen originated from water. Reduction of nitriles (R‐CN) to their respective amines (R‐CH 2 NH 2 ) under (+)ESI‐MS conditions expands the ability to identify nitrile‐containing chemical unknowns. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.