Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of oligosaccharides derivatized by reductive amination and N,N-dimethylation.

Oligosaccharides were derivatized by reductive amination with benzylamine followed by N,N-dimethylation with methyl iodide and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) and MALDI post-source decay (PSD) TOFMS. The resulting derivatives have a positive charge localized to the modified reducing end. The derivatization methodology was tested on maltoheptaose and three different human milk oligosaccharides. The approximate detection limit for the resulting carbohydrate derivatives was determined to be 50 fmol of the derivative loaded onto the target, corresponding to a tenfold increase in sensitivity compared with underivatized oligosaccharides. When the derivatives were analyzed by MALDI-PSD TOFMS the observed fragmentation pattern was dominated by fragment ions retaining the modified reducing terminus, thus simplifying the interpretation of the mass spectral data. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.