Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry of Methylated Purine Bases

Abstract

Aqueous solutions containing synthetic mixtures of model methylated purine bases have been examined by liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. Efficient chromatographic separation together with characteristic fragment ions derived from selected parent molecular ions allowed fast and reliable identification of the individual components within the investigated mixtures including some isomeric structures. Some of the deductions in the present work regarding the chromatography and mass spectrometry can be easily extended to analysis which may involve biofluids containing members of this class of compounds. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.