Corona discharge ionization of paracetamol molecule: peak assignment

Effect of Sample Plates and Sample Matrix on the Quantification Capabilities of Surface-Assisted Flowing Atmospheric-Pressure Afterglow Mass Spectrometry (SA-FAPA-MS)

Ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (ADI-MS) has been broadly applied to accomplish direct analysis without sample preparation or separation. However, quantification capabilities and analytical performance are sometimes limited. Here, we report signal enhancement effects and improved quantification capabilities in plasma-based ADI-MS, when a flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow (FAPA) source is used to probe analytes on tailored thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates. It was found that quantitative results could be achieved when the TLC plate merely served as a sampling plate without a preceding separation step. Specifically, the dynamic response of caffeine, nicotine, acetaminophen, and progesterone was investigated with FAPA-MS on a variety of different TLC surfaces (normal-phase silica, reversed-phase-modified silica, cyano [CN]-modified silica, and dimethyl [RP2]-modified silica). All analytes were studied as single-analyte standards and in a multianalyte mixture to evaluate the effect of sample plates and sample matrix on analytical performance and competitive ionization processes. Overall, dimethyl (RP2)- and CN-modified silica resulted in superior performance compared to other TLC materials. After careful optimization and without the use of internal standards, linear ranges of five orders of magnitude were accessible for caffeine and nicotine. Limits of detection down to femtomole amounts of analyte were achieved. Quantitation limits using RP2-TLC and FAPA-MS were 0.062, 0.062l, 0.31, and 14 pmol for caffeine, nicotine, progesterone, and acetaminophen, respectively. Interestingly, the presence of nicotine at relatively high amounts reduced the signal of the other analytes, an observation that was found to correlate with the differences in the enthalpy of vaporization (ΔHvap) and proton affinity. To prove the quantitative capabilities, nicotine quantification in a real matrix-heavy e-liquid sample was demonstrated using an isotopically labeled standard. The use of TLC-based surfaces with FAPA-MS can aid in the direct and quantitative mass spectrometric investigation of complex mixtures.

Intramolecular interactions, isomerization and vibrational frequencies of two paracetamol analogues: A spectroscopic and a computational approach

The aim of this investigation was to determine the molecular properties and provide an interpretation of the vibrational mode couplings of these two paracetamol analogues: 2-bromo-2-methyl-N-(4-nitrophenyl)-propanamide and 2-bromo-2-methyl-N-p-tolyl-propanamide. E/Z isomers, keto/enol unimolecular rearrangement and prediction of the transition state structures in each mechanism were also assessed using the Density Functional Theory (DFT). The DFT estimates a high energy gap between E and Z isomers (9-11 kcal·mol(-1)), with barrier heights ranging from 16 to 19 kcal·mol(-1). In contrast, the barrier energies on the keto/enol isomerization are almost 10 kcal·mol(-1) higher than those estimated for the E/Z rearrangement. The kinetic rate constant was also determined for each reaction mechanism. Natural bond orbital analysis and the quantum theory of atoms in molecules were used to interpret the intramolecular hydrogen bonds and to understand the most important interactions that govern the stabilization of each isomer. Furthermore, an analysis of the atomic charge distribution using different population methodologies was also performed.