Characterization of Nitro Arachidonic Acid and Nitro Linoleic Acid by Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Nitration of arachidonic and linoleic acids was performed with nitronium tetrafluroborate, nitrogen dioxide, and dinitrogen trioxide. The nitro compounds were separated on HPLC and characterized further on mass spectrometry. Formation of nitro arachidonic acid m/z 348 and nitro linoleic acid m/z 324 were observed with all the reagents. Interestingly, MS/MS of nitro AA and nitro LA showed specific ions m/z 142, m/z 193, and m/z 206 for nitro arachidonic and m/z 156 and m/z 196 for linoleic acid that were common in all three reactions.

Keywords:

• AA (arachidonic acid)
• CID (collision induced dissociation)
• (NO₂) dinitrogen trioxide (N₂O₃)
• HPLC
• LA (linoleic acid)
• Mass spectrometry
• Nitrogen dioxide
• Nitronium tetrafluroborate (NO₂BF₄)
• Tandem mass spectrometry

Acknowledgments

This work was supported to M.B by 5R01 GM31278 and Philip Morris Inc., Richmond, Virginia, USA.