Determination of impurities in nucleoside 3'-phosphoramidites by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.

Negative-ion fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry is quite useful for the identification of products and by-products formed during the synthesis of nucleoside 3'-phosphoramidites. The data show that detritylation and oxidation are side reactions which occur during the synthesis of monomeric units used in the construction of oligodeoxyribonucleotides by the phosphite triester method.