Structure Elucidation of Natural Products by Mass Spectrometry

TLDR: In this article, the general rules governing the fragmentation reactions, the types of functional groups present, as well as the manner in which they are joined to form a unique molecular structure may be deduced from the mass spectrum.

Abstract: For over three decades, mass spectrometry has played a central role for the structure elucidation of natural products because it can be used to determine the molecular weights and elemental compositions of substances with a wide range of chemical and physical properties In addition, if the molecular ion is formed with sufficient excitation energy, it will undergo a series of unimolecular reactions to give fragment ions, the relative abundances of which are normally unique to the structure of the molecular ion By understanding the general rules governing the fragmentation reactions, the types of functional groups present, as well as the manner in which they are joined to form a unique molecular structure may be deduced from the mass spectrum