Evaluation of a benchtop ion trap gas chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric instrument for the analysis of a model drug, tebufelone, in plasma using a stable-isotope internal standard

Palladium-Catalyzed Nondirected Late-Stage C-H Deuteration of Arenes

We describe a palladium-catalyzed nondirected late-stage deuteration of arenes. Key aspects include the use of D2O as a convenient and easily available deuterium source and the discovery of highly active N,N-bidentate ligands containing an N-acylsulfonamide group. The reported protocol enables high degrees of deuterium incorporation via a reversible C-H activation step and features extraordinary functional group tolerance, allowing for the deuteration of complex substrates. This is exemplified by the late-stage isotopic labeling of various pharmaceutically relevant motifs and related scaffolds. We expect that this method, among other applications, will prove useful as a tool in drug development processes and for mechanistic studies.

One-pot synthesis of human metabolites of SAR548304 by fungal peroxygenases

Unspecific peroxygenases (UPOs, EC 1.11.2.1) have proved to be stable oxygen-transferring biocatalysts for H2O2-dependent transformation of pharmaceuticals. We have applied UPOs in a drug development program and consider the enzymatic approach in parallel to a conventional chemical synthesis of the human metabolites of the bile acid reabsorption inhibitor SAR548304. Chemical preparation of N,N-di-desmethyl metabolite was realized by a seven-step synthesis starting from a late precursor of SAR548304 and included among others palladium catalysis and laborious chromatographic purification with an overall yield of 27%. The enzymatic approach revealed that the UPO of Marasmius rotula is particularly suitable for selective N-dealkylation of the drug and enabled us to prepare both human metabolites via one-pot conversion with an overall yield of 66% N,N-di-desmethyl metabolite and 49% of N-mono-desmethylated compound in two separated kinetic-controlled reactions.

Multiple deuteration of alkanes synergistically-catalyzed by platinum and rhodium on carbon as a mixed catalytic system

A mild and efficient deuterium labeling method of alkanes based on the synergistic effect of Pt–Rh combination was developed.

Preparation of labeled human drug metabolites and drug-drug interaction-probes with fungal peroxygenases

Enzymatic conversion of a drug can be an efficient alternative for the preparation of a complex metabolite compared with a multi-step chemical synthesis approach. Limitations exist for chemical methods for direct oxygen incorporation into organic molecules often suffering from low yields and unspecific oxidation and also for alternative whole-cell biotransformation processes, which require specific fermentation know-how. Stable oxygen-transferring biocatalysts such as unspecific peroxygenases (UPOs) could be an alternative for the synthesis of human drug metabolites and related stable isotope-labeled analogues. This work shows that UPOs can be used in combination with hydrogen/deuterium exchange for an efficient one-step process for the preparation of 4'-OH-diclofenac-d6. The scope of the reaction was investigated by screening of different peroxygenase subtypes for the transformation of selected deuterium-labeled substrates such as phenacetin-d3 or lidocaine-d3. Experiments with diclofenac-d7 revealed that the deuterium-labeling does not affect the kinetic parameters. By using the latter substrate and H2 (18) O2 as cosubstrate, it was possible to prepare a doubly isotope-labeled metabolite (4'-(18) OH-diclofenac-d6). UPOs offer certain practical advantages compared with P450 enzyme systems in terms of stability and ease of handling. Given these advantages, future work will expand the existing 'monooxygenation toolbox' of different fungal peroxygenases that mimic P450 in vitro reactions.

Ruthenium-catalyzed selective α,β-deuteration of bioactive amines

A novel and convenient protocol for the catalytic hydrogen-deuterium exchange of biologically active tertiary amines utilizing the borrowing hydrogen methodology has been developed. In the presence of the readily available Shvo catalyst, excellent chemoselectivity toward α- and β-protons with respect to the nitrogen atom as well as high degree of deuterium incorporation and functional group tolerance is achieved. This allowed for the deuteration of complex pharmaceutically interesting substrates, including examples for actual marketed drug compounds. Notably, this method constitutes a powerful tool for the generation of valuable internal standard materials for LC-MS/MS analyses highly demanded for various life-science applications.

Hydrogen-deuterium exchange reactions of aromatic compounds and heterocycles by NaBD4-activated rhodium, platinum and palladium catalysts

Conventional thermal and microwave conditions were compared for hydrogen-deuterium (H/D) exchange reactions of aminobenzoic acids catalysed by NaBD(4)-activated Pd/C or RhCl(3) with D(2)O as the deuterium source. We also investigated different NaBD(4)-activated metal catalysts (including Pd/C, RhCl(3) and Pt/C) under microwave conditions for an efficient H/D exchange of aromatic and heterocyclic compounds. Even higher deuterium incorporations were obtained for Pd/C and Pt/C catalyst mixtures due to the previously observed synergistic effect. Finally, we have applied these optimised conditions for one-step syntheses of the MS standards of several pharmaceutically active compounds.

The renaissance of H/D exchange

The increasing demand for stable isotopically labeled compounds has led to an increased interest in H/D-exchange reactions at carbon centers. Today deuterium-labeled compounds are used as internal standards in mass spectrometry or to help elucidate mechanistic theories. Access to these deuterated compounds takes place significantly more efficiently and more cost effectively by exchange of hydrogen by deuterium in the target molecule than by classical synthesis. This Review will concentrate on the preparative application of the H/D-exchange reaction in the preparation of deuterium-labeled compounds. Advances over the last ten years are brought together and critically evaluated.

A GC/MS/MS screening method for multiple organic acidemias from urine specimens

A gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method using an ion trap GC/MS system was developed to quickly screen urine samples for 14 organic acids associated with multiple organic acidemias. The following organic acids are used as diagnostic markers: methylmalonic acid, glutaric acid, 2-ketoisocaproic acid, succinylacetone, 3-methylcrotonylglycine, tiglylglycine, isovalerylglycine, fumaric acid, butyrylglycine, propionylglycine, hexanoylglycine, adipic acid, suberic acid, and sebacic acid. 2-ketocaproic acid is used as an internal standard. The samples are prepared using a solid-phase extraction and converted to trimethylsilyl derivatives. The extraction efficiency for the 14 compounds is between 57 and 106%. A derivatized standard mixture of the 14 markers is run prior to the patient samples to determine the accurate absolute and relative retention times. The samples are then injected and the product ion spectra monitored. For data analysis, one characteristic product ion plot is extracted for each of the 14 marker compounds, and the presence of a peak with the expected retention time is determined. The areas of the product ion peaks are compared with the reference range determined from 30 normal controls. Ten samples of patients with known organic acidemias were measured. For all patients, diagnostic peaks at the expected retention times of at least five times the upper limit of the reference range were detected. The method, with its relatively fast sample preparation, short 10.0 min run time and simple data analysis, is suitable for use as a quick metabolic screen of very sick patients in whom there is concern regarding the possibility of a treatable inborn error.

Quantification of glutaric acid by isotope dilution mass spectrometry for patients with glutaric acidemia type I: selected ion monitoring vs. selected ion storage

An isotope dilution mass spectrometric assay for the quantification of glutaric acid in urine and serum samples was developed. The performance of a quadrupole mass filter (QMF) gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) instrument, operated in the selected ion monitoring mode, and a quadrupole ion trap (QIT) GC/MS instrument, operated in the selected ion storage mode, was compared. Both instruments gave linear standard curves with glutaric acid concentrations between 0.19 and 3.8 microM. The average coefficients of correlation were 0.9998 and 0.9993 for the QMF and the QIT system, respectively. There was good agreement between the glutaric acid concentrations measured with the two instruments. The run-to-run precision was between 1.2 and 3.7% and between 6.2 and 8.6%, the average recovery of glutaric acid in urine and serum samples was 96 and 103% with the QMF and QIT instrument, respectively. We conclude that although the QMF has a slightly better performance, both instruments can be used to reliably measure glutaric acid concentrations from urine and serum patient samples.

Quantitative subfemtomole analysis of alpha-tocopherol and deuterated isotopomers in plasma using tabletop GC/MS/MS

A rapid, high-selectivity method with subfemtomole sensitivity is reported for quantification of alpha-tocopherol in plasma-based gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS) using a tabletop quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Sample workup is rapid, consisting of protein precipitation followed by liquid/liquid extraction and O-trimethylsilyl derivatization of alpha-tocopherol (alpha-T-TMS) and an internal standard, 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol (PC-TMS). Rudimentary chromatography was carried out using an 8-m DB-5 capillary column resulting in an analyte retention time of 7.2 min. No interferences from the plasma matrix were observed. The assay has a detection limit of 178 amol (89.6 fg) and a lower limit of quantification of 700 amol (350 fg) of derivatized alpha-tocopherol in diluted plasma; < 30 pL of plasma is estimated to yield sufficient alpha-tocopherol for quantitative analysis at typical concentrations found in humans. A calibration curve constructed from National Institute of Standards and Technology serum standards was linear in the working range of 1.9-1073 ng/mL (0.95-0.54 ng). Within- and between-day precision averaged 5.8% and did not exceed 11.3% for three concentrations of quality control (QC) solutions. The overall accuracy for the QC samples was within 7.2%. Storage studies showed that, alpha-T-TMS and PC-TMS are stable under conditions that might be encountered during analyses. In a test study, plasma kinetic curves for alpha-tocopherol-d6 and alpha-tocopherol-d3 were obtained for a catheterized pregnant ewe and her fetus who were simultaneously given a bolus injection of alpha-tocopherol-d6, to the ewe and alpha-tocopherol-d3 to the fetus. These data show that a tabletop GC ion trap can determine alpha-T-TMS and its isotopomers quantitatively at high selectivity in a complex matrix.

Tandem-in-time mass spectrometry as a quantitative bioanalytical tool

Tandem-in-time mass spectrometry, as implemented on an ion-trap detector (ITD), is the process whereby precursor ions are created, stored in a radio frequency (rf) trapping field, and then sequentially fragmented to form product ions by application of additional rf waveforms. As with any form of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), tandem-in-time MS is highly selective, by virtue of both mass discrimination and specific gas-phase chemistry. Beyond this, however, tandem-in-time MS offers ion throughput efficiency and cost advantages over either quadrupole or sector instruments. This paper will describe the use of capillary gas chromatography combined with tandem-in-time mass spectrometry to quantify a novel therapeutic agent extracted from human plasma. For an example compound, a quantitation limit of 25 pg/mL (S/N approximately 10, 15 fmol on-column) was attained out of plasma. The interday imprecision was < or = 12.2% over a dynamic range extending to 10 ng/mL. Due to favorable ionization conditions for the test analytes, electron ionization resulted in formation of M+ ions, with very little fragmentation, allowing for maximum assay sensitivity. Although method characterization and validation demonstrated adequate instrumental performance, some lack of ruggedness was encountered during routine application.