Chemical modification in mass spectrometry IV—2-alkenyl-4,4-dimethyloxazolines as derivatives for the double bond location of long-chain olefinic acids

Long-chain unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) can easily be converted on a microgram scale to the corresponding 2-alkenyl-4,4-dimethyloxazolines by condensation with 2-amino-2-methylpropanol (AMP). These modified molecules with a ‘hidden’ carboxyl group have been proved to be a class of useful derivatives for gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) of UFA mixtures. While possessing very good GC characteristics, the title compounds show regular, well-recognizable diagnostic ion peaks of the double bond position in the chain. Detailed description of the method as well as electron impact (E1) mass spectra of derivatives resulting from mono-, di and polyenoic (maximally containing six double bonds) acids are presented.