Negative ion FAB mass spectrometric analysis of non-charged key intermediates in oligonucleotide synthesis: Rapid identification of partially protected dinucleoside monophosphates

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Dinucleoside monophosphates bearing usual protecting groups at the exocyclic amino functions of the heterocyclic bases, the 5′-hydroxy group, the phosphate moiety and the O-6-position of the guanine ring have been analysed by FAB mass specrometry in the negative ion mode. These non-charged key intermediates for oligodeoxynucleotide synthesis exhibit very simple spectra in the mass range of m/z 400–1500 using tetra-ethylene glycol as matrix. Most of the observed ions could easily be assigned. Apart from deprotonated molecular ions sequence specific ions arising from C-O-P bond cleavage and ions derived from loss of protecting groups were observed. The simplicity of spectra interpretation makes FAB mass spectrometry to a rapid and valuable tool for unambiguous identification of dimeric synthons for oligonucleotide synthesis.