Supramolecular Analysis of Monosaccharide Derivatives Using Cucurbit[7]uril and Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Identification of monosaccharide derivatives using an analytical technique is difficult due to their isomeric structures and similar physical properties. Although mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as a prominent technique for this purpose, a comprehensive MS-based method for analyzing diverse monosaccharide species is yet to be developed. Herein, we employ host-guest chemistry using cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) with MS to identify four different monosaccharide derivative species. Tandem MS analysis distinguishes the monosaccharide derivatives based on the unique fragmentation pattern produced when forming gas-phase complexes with CB[7]. The ion mobility studies combined with computational calculations reveal that subtle differences in isomers cause distinct orientations inside CB[7] cavity, resulting in different fragmentation patterns of the isomers. This unique study demonstrates that host-guest chemistry combined with MS can be used for developing effective isomer analysis techniques.