Differentiation of diastereomeric nickel(II) N-glycoside complexes using tandem mass spectrometry and kinetic energy release measurements

Traditionally, mass spectrometry has not been thought of as a technique which can be used to differentiate stereoisomers. This has long been the domain of NMR spectroscopy. In the work presented here however, we show that tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS)in combination with kinetic energy release (KER) measurements of unimolecular dissociation product ions can be used to differentiate various stereochemical features of four different isomeric monosaccharides. although others have published research describing stereochemical analysis using mass spectrometry, this is the first time mass spectrometry, in combination with KER measurements, has been shown capable of distinguishing stereochemical features of metal-coordinated oligosaccharides.