Tandem mass spectrometric analysis of cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide and their metabolites

A detailed multi-stage (MSn) fragmentation study of cyclophosphamide (CP), ifosfamide (IF) and their major metabolites, using an ion-trap mass spectrometer and a Q-TOF mass spectrometer, was performed with the aid of specifically deuterium-labeled analogs. The analytes showed good responses in positive-ion electrospray mass spectrometry as [MH]+ ions. Tandem mass spectra revealed a wealth of structurally specific ions, allowing characterization of the fragmentation pathways of these analytes. The major fragmentation pathways of the protonated CP and IF are elimination of ethylene from C5 and C6 of 1,3,2-oxazaphosphorine-2-oxide via a McLafferty rearrangement, and cleavage of the P-N bond. However, their activated 4-OOH and 4-OH metabolites primarily underwent hydrogen peroxide elimination and dehydration, respectively, followed by fragmentation pathways similar to those of CP and IF. These results should prove useful in structural elucidation of future analogs of CP and IF, and/or of their metabolites.