Fragmentation study of peptide acetals and aldehydes using in-source collision-induced dissociation.

The fragmentation of peptide acetals and peptide diols, corresponding to the hydrated form of the peptide aldehyde, is dominated by the successive losses of two molecules of MeOH and water, respectively. Using model peptides, the fragmentation mechanism, with respect to the loss of methanol and water, was elucidated. The first loss was certainly charge-directed whereas the second probably occurred via the nucleophilic attack of the nitrogen of an amine on the C-terminal carbon leading to a cyclic ion.