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Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
of Fatty Acid Derivatives

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These pages are tutorials that deal with the application of mass spectrometry (MS) with electron-impact ionization and linked to gas chromatography (GC) for the determination of the structures of fatty acids. They tend to be largely practical as opposed to mechanistic accounts. Although methyl esters are used almost universally for GC separations and often for MS, their mass spectra afford limited structural information only. On the other hand, certain nitrogen-containing derivatives, especially pyrrolidides, 4,4‑dimethyloxazoline (DMOX) derivatives and 3‑pyridylcarbinol ('picolinyl') esters, give much more informative data as discussed in the attached web pages in which more than 735 mass spectra are illustrated (not counting the Archive sections with these and a further 1500 spectra). Spectra of some selected other lipids are also discussed, but only those encountered in our (former!) research efforts and for which we have spectra. Whenever new information and mass spectra become available, these web pages will be updated. All spectra illustrated were obtained by GC-MS with Agilent mass spectrometers (various models over ~30 years) at an ionization energy of 70 eV.

The Basics If you are new to the subject, you may wish to first consult -  Introduction to mass spectrometry of fatty acids and these web pages  A beginner's guide to mass spectrometry of fatty acids: Part 1.  Methyl esters  A beginner's guide to mass spectrometry of fatty acids: Part 2.  3-Pyridylcarbinol, 4,4‑dimethyloxazoline and pyrrolidine derivatives In the following section, web pages describe the virtues of the different types of derivative together with practical methods for their preparation. Some ancillary practical techniques and other methods that aid analysis are also discussed.  Preparation of methyl esters for mass spectrometry  Preparation of nitrogen-containing derivatives for mass spectrometry of fatty acids  Concentration of minor fatty acid components before analysis by GC-MS  Choice of columns for GC-MS of fatty acid derivatives  Producing publication-quality mass spectra  Other Main Topics Documents are grouped into five main sections according to the nature of the derivatives used. Mass spectra of most of the important fatty acids of animals and plants are described, together with some less usual, substituted fatty acids. They can be addressed from the following links -     Mass spectrometry of methyl esters     Mass spectrometry of pyrrolidides     Mass spectrometry of 4,4'-dimethyloxazolines (DMOX)     Mass spectrometry of 3-pyridylcarbinol ('picolinyl') esters     Mass spectrometry of other esters and some miscellaneous lipids  Archives of Mass Spectra - All our mass spectra (2232 in total) are available here for study or reference, but without interpretation, in Archives of methyl esters - 3-pyridylcarbinol esters - 4,4'-dimethyloxazolines - pyrrolidides - alkyl esters - other lipids.  Lists of relevant references - up to 1989 - or - 1990 to 1999 - or - 2000 to 2009 - or - 2010 onwards - or - review articles. There are additional reference lists in most of the major sections

Recommended Book: Christie, W.W. and Han, X. Lipid Analysis - Isolation, Separation, Identification and Lipidomic Analysis (4^th edition), 446 pages (Oily Press, Woodhead Publishing and now Elsevier) (2010) - at Science Direct.

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© Author: William W. Christie
Updated: June 2025	Contact/credits/disclaimer

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© The LipidWeb is open access and fair use is encouraged but not text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

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