Gas-Phase Fragmentation Analysis of Nitro-Fatty Acids

Nitro-fatty acids are electrophilic signaling mediators formed in increased amounts during inflammation by nitric oxide and nitrite-dependent redox reactions. A more rigorous characterization of endogenously-generated species requires additional understanding of their gas-phase induced fragmentation. Thus, collision induced dissociation (CID) of nitroalkane and nitroalkene groups in fatty acids were studied in the negative ion mode to provide mass spectrometric tools for their structural characterization. Fragmentation of nitroalkanes occurred mainly through loss of the NO (2) (-) anion or neutral loss of HNO2. The CID of nitroalkenes proceeds via a more complex cyclization, followed by fragmentation to nitrile and aldehyde products. Gas-phase fragmentation of nitroalkene functional groups with additional gamma or delta unsaturation occurred through a multiple step cyclization reaction process, leading to 5 and 6 member ring heterocyclic products and carbon chain fragmentation. Cyclization products were not obtained during nitroalkane fragmentation, highlighting the role of double bond pi electrons during NO (2) (-) rearrangements, stabilization and heterocycle formation. The proposed structures, mechanisms and products of fragmentation are supported by analysis of C-13 and N-15 labeled parent molecules, 6 different nitroalkene positional isomers, 6 nitroalkane positional isomers, accurate mass determinations at high resolution and quantum mechanics calculations. Multiple key diagnostic ion fragments were obtained through this analysis, allowing for the precise placement of double bonds and sites of fatty acid nitration, thus supporting an ability to predict nitro positions in biological samples.