was performed on a Waters preparative LC–MS system, equipped
with a 2767 sample manager, 2545 quaternary gradient module, fluid
organizer, 3100 mass detector, and 2998 photodiode array detector
(Waters, Milford, MA, U.S.A.). Reduced (including non-reducing) GOS
DP3 (95 mg/mL, 0.5 mL) was centrifuged (5 min, 15000g) and injected onto a PGC column (150 × 21.2 mm, 5 μm
particle size, Hypercarb; Thermo Scientific, San Jose, CA, U.S.A.).
The flow rate was set at 18.34 mL/min. Mobile phase A consisted of
ULC–MS water + 0.1% (v/v) formic acid, and mobile phase B consisted
of ACN + 0.1% (v/v) formic acid. The gradient applied was as follows:
0–80.8 min, 3–11% B; 80.8–95.3 min, 11–100%
B; and 95.3–109.9 min, 100–3% B, followed by equilibration
at 3% B. Fractions of 6.1 mL were collected and analyzed using analytical
UHPLC–PGC–MS (see
of the retention time and MS2 fragmentation of the isomer
present. Only fractions with a purity of 90% according to the signal
intensity as measured by analytical UHPLC–PGC–MS were
pooled. Afterward, ACN was evaporated under a stream of nitrogen gas
and the remaining water phase was freeze-dried.