Mass Spectrometry in the Structural Studies of Oligosaccharides

On the basis of the reported low-resolution electron impact (EI) mass spectral decomposition patterns of a few underivatlsed simple disaccnarides 1-3 and the results of a high-resolution electron impact mass spectrum of a model disaccharide β-methyl pachybioside, 4 a common fragmentation pathway of such compounds could be worked out. Using the derived standard decomposition pathways, structure of a novel tetrasaccharide, orthenthose, has been elucidated as oleandrose tetrasaccharide.