Synthesis and mass fragmentographic analysis of partially O-methylated 2-N-methylglucosamines

A series of partially O-methylated N-methylglucosamines was synthesized by limited-time methylation of methyl-2-N-methylacetamido-2-deoxyglucopyranoside by Kuhn's procedure, followed by acid hydrolysis. These partially O-methylated N-methylglucosamines were separated satisfactorily by gas chromatography on a column of OV-17 on Gas-chrom Q as amino alditol acetates and identified from their mass spectra. For specific analysis of the methylated aminosugar derivatives, a mass fragmentographic method was established. Methylated aminosugars can be successfully determined in amounts as low as about 1 ng by this method.