A fragmentation study of a flavone triglycoside, kaempferol-3-O-robinoside-7-O-rhamnoside.

A mass spectrometric method based on the combined use of electrospray ionization, collision-induced dissociation and tandem mass spectrometry has been applied to the structural characterization of the flavone triglycoside, robinin (3,5,7,4'-tetrahydroxyflavone-3-O-robinoside-7-O-rhamnoside). The deprotonated molecule fragments by loss of the rhamnose glycan residue to yield the Y(7) (-) ion (m/z 593) and by scission of the robinose glycan residue to yield the radical anion [Y(3,0)-H](-.) (m/z 430). The Y(7) (-) ion fragments by scission of the robinose glycan residue to yield the radical anion of Y(7)[Y(3,0)-H](-.) (m/z 284). The [Y(3,0)-H](-.) radical anion fragments by loss of the rhamnose glycan residue to yield the radical anion Y(7)[Y(3,0)-H](-.) (m/z 284) and by scission to yield [Y(7)-H][Y(3,0)--H](-) (m/z 283). A fragmentation mechanism has been proposed. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.