Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry of deprotonated dihydrobenzofuran neolignans

Rationale Although dihydrobenzofuran neolignans (DBNs) display a wide diversity of biological activities, the identification of their in vivo metabolites using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI‐MS/MS) remains a challenge to be overcome. Recently, ESI‐MS/MS data of protonated DBNs have been reported, but they were shown to be limited due to the scarcity of diagnostic ions. Methods The gas‐phase fragmentation pathways of a series of biologically active synthetic benzofuran neolignans (BNs) and DBNs were elucidated by means of negative ESI accurate‐mass tandem and sequential mass spectrometry, and thermochemical data estimated using computational chemistry and the B3LYP/6‐31+G(d,p) model. Results Deprotonated DBNs produced more diagnostic product ions than the corresponding protonated molecules. Moreover, a series of odd‐electron product ions (radical anions) were detected, which has not been reported for protonated DBNs. Direct C2H3O2• elimination from the precursor ion (deprotonated molecule) only occurred for the BNs and can help to distinguish these compounds from the DBNs. The mechanism through which the [M − H − CH3OH]− ion is formed is strongly dependent on specific structural features. Conclusions The negative ion mode provides much more information than the positive ion mode (at least one diagnostic product ion was detected for all the analyzed compounds) and does not require the use of additives to produce the precursor ions (deprotonated molecules).