Chemical reactivity in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

Synthesis of poly(ethylene oxide) approaching monodispersity

Polydispersity in polymers hinders fundamental understanding of their structure-property relationships and prevents them from being used in fields like medicine, where polydispersity affects biological activity. The polydispersity of relatively short-chain poly(ethylene oxide) [(CH2CH2O2)n; PEO] affects its biological activity, for example, the toxicity and efficacy of PEOylated drugs. As a result, there have been intensive efforts to reduce the dispersity as much as possible (truly monodispersed materials are not possible). Here we report a synthetic procedure that leads to an unprecedented low level of dispersity. We also show for the first time that it is possible to discriminate between PEOs differing in only 1 ethylene oxide (EO) unit, essential in order to verify the exceptionally low levels of dispersity achieved here. It is anticipated that the synthesis of poly(ethylene oxide) approaching monodispersity will be of value in many fields where the applications are sensitive to the distribution of molar mass.

MALDI-TOF MS analysis of soluble PEG based multi-step synthetic reaction mixtures with automated detection of reaction failure

Macromolecules of tunable solubility, used to mimic inert insoluble materials while maintaining solution conditions, allowed the performance of efficient supported organic chemistry and facilitated in situ reaction monitoring. To satisfy the high throughput requirements of automated synthetic processes, organic syntheses carried out on bifunctional polyethylene glycol polymers (PEG(3400)-OH) were monitored step-by-step by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). A protocol was designed to control the ionization mechanism of such polymers exhibiting high affinity for alkali metal cations. Automated, rapid, and reliable data interpretation was performed by an in-house developed visual basic application relying on the sodiated ion accurate monoisotopic mass measurement. The methodology was illustrated through the monitoring of a six-step synthetic scheme.

Characterization of poly(ethylene glycol) esters using low energy collision-induced dissociation in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A method of characterizing polyglycol esters, an important class of industrial polymer, has been developed using electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI ITMS). The fragmentation behavior of polyglycol esters is found to be different from that of polyglycols whose functional end groups are linked to the polymer chain via ether bonds (i.e., polyglycol ethers). The fragmentation pattern of an oligomer ion generated by low-energy collision-induced dissociation is strongly dependent on the type of cation used for ionization. It is shown that structural information on the polymer chain and end groups is best obtained by examining the fragment ion spectra of oligomers ionized by ammonium, alkali, and transition metal ions. The application of this method is demonstrated in the analysis of two surfactants based on fatty acid methyl ester ethoxylates.

Application of an integrated matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry approach to characterizing complex polyol mixtures

Polyols are being used in a wide range of industrial applications including surfactants and precursors for grafted polymers. The characterization of polyols is of significance in correlating compositions and structures with their properties. We illustrate two real world examples where traditional analytical methods including GPC and NMR failed to reveal compositional differences, but the combination of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS), and MS/MS can produce compositional information required for problem solving. The first example involves failure analysis of four ethylene oxide and propylene oxide (EO/PO) copolymer products. The results from the mass spectrometry analysis unequivocally demonstrate that one of the samples has a small variation in copolymer composition, leading to its abnormal activity. The second example is in the area of deformulation of complex polyol mixtures. Two samples displaying similar properties and activities were found to be two different polyol blends. One of the samples is a more cost-effective product. These examples demonstrate that MALDI, ESI MS, and MS/MS should be seriously considered as an integrated component of an overall polyol characterization program in product failure analysis and deformulation.

Mass spectrometry in combinatorial chemistry

In the fast expanding field of combinatorial chemistry, profiling libraries has always been a matter of concern--as illustrated by the buoyant literature over the past seven years. Spectroscopic methods, including especially mass spectrometry and to a lesser extent IR and NMR, have been applied at different levels of combinatorial library synthesis: in the rehearsal phase to optimize the chemistry prior to library generation, to confirm library composition, and to characterize after screening each structure that exhibits positive response. Most of the efforts have been concentrated on library composition assessment. The difficulties of such analyses have evolved from the infancy of the combinatorial concept, where large mixtures were prepared, to the recent parallel syntheses of collections of discrete compounds. Whereas the complexity of the analyses has diminished, an increased degree of automation was simultaneously required to achieve efficient library component identification and quantification. In this respect, mass spectrometry has been found to be the method of choice, providing rapid, sensitive, and informative analyses, especially when coupled to chromatographic separation. Fully automated workstations able to cope with several hundreds of compounds per day have been designed. After a brief introduction to describe the combinatorial approach, library characterization will be discussed in detail, considering first the solution-based methodologies and secondly the support-bound material analyses.