Mass Spectral Analyses of Trimethylsilyl Glucuronic Acids

Mass spectral analysis of carbohydrates has become an important tool for the biological chemist 1-3 and the use of mass spectrometers interfaced with gas-liquid chromatographs has provided a convenient method of study for volatile derivatives of carbohydrates. Several groups 4-7 have accomplished separations of the various isomeric trimethylsilyl (TMSi) esters and ethers of the glucuronic acids. The present work utilizes a gas-liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer to examine the previously unreported mass spectra of pertrimethylsilylated glucuronic acids and these spectra are compared to the previously reported 8 spectra of the pemethylated glucuronic acids.