A one-step chemical derivatization strategy for mass spectrometric characterization of synthetic mimetics of sulfated glycosaminoglycans

Abstract

We present a novel one-step methodology for direct mass spectrometric characterization of sulfated non-saccharide glycosaminoglycan mimetics in their sodiated form using the high reactivity of trifluorodiazoethane to form hydrophobic and chemically stable esters that facilitates separation and detection in a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry system. The methodology preserves all sulfates present in the parent molecule, thereby allowing for accurate mass characterization of the per-sulfated molecule.