Characterization of trimethylsilyl ethers of iminosugars by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

•Linear retention indices on two GC stationary phases are reported for 12 iminosugars.•Characteristic m/z ions of these iminosugars are provided.•These data have been correlated with iminosugar structures.•Results are useful for the characterization of new iminosugars in Aglaonema extracts.

A combination of gas chromatographic retention data (linear retention indices) on two different stationary phases (100% methyl- and 50% phenylmethylsilicone) and electron impact mass spectrometric relative abundances for characteristic m/z ratios of 12 trimethylsilylated piperidine and pyrrolidine iminosugars are reported. These results have been related to their structural features and applied to the characterization of iminosugar composition of an Aglaonema treubii root extract. Seven iminosugars were detected in this extract, two of them were described for the first time.