Tandem mass spectra of ammonium adducts of monosaccharides: differentiation of diastereomers.

Tandem mass spectra of ammonium adducts of monosaccharides gave characteristic fragmentation patterns involving elimination of NH3/H2O followed by multiple eliminations of H2O and cross ring cleavages. Tandem mass spectra were examined over a range of collision energies (1-20 eV) on a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. The breakdown behavior of the ammonium adducts revealed patterns that could differentiate diastereomers of monosaccharides. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.