Synthesis of deuterated isopentyl pyrophosphates for chemo-enzymatic labelling methods: GC-EI-MS based 1,2-hydride shift in epicedrol biosynthesis

Article abstract of DOI:10.1039/c9ra00163h

A sesquiterpene epicedrol cyclase mechanism was elucidated based on the gas chromatography coupled to electron impact mass spectrometry fragmentation data of deuterated (²H) epicedrol analogues. The chemo-enzymatic method was applied for the specific synthesis of 8-position labelled farnesyl pyrophosphate and epicedrol. EI-MS fragmentation ions compared with non-labelled and isotopic mass shift fragments suggest that the ²H of C6 migrates to the C7 position during the cyclization mechanism.