title: The characterization of dendronized poly(ethylene glycol)s and poly(ethylene glycol) multi-arm stars using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
abstract: The synthesis of branched poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) derivatives, namely star PEG and dendronized PEG, can be challenging and their purity can be difficult to ascertain using traditional techniques, such as NMR and GPC. Herein, the detailed characterization of these branched PEGs using MALDI-ToF MS was investigated in order to confirm their structural purity. In this light, mass spectrometry offers a number of advantages for polymer characterization, including the ability to get detailed structural data, such as end group masses, from microgram-scale samples. In addition, the ability to rapidly acquire data from crude reaction aliquots makes MALDI-ToF MS ideal for monitoring end group transformations.
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, Department of Chemistry, 2015 Percival Stern Hall, 6400 Freret Street, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA.
authors.forename: Brittany K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, Department of Chemistry, 2015 Percival Stern Hall, 6400 Freret Street, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA.
authors.forename: Boyu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, Department of Chemistry, 2015 Percival Stern Hall, 6400 Freret Street, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA.
authors.forename: Joanna E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lapucha
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, Department of Chemistry, 2015 Percival Stern Hall, 6400 Freret Street, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA. Electronic address: sgrayson@tulane.edu.
authors.forename: Scott M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Grayson
mesh_terms: D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D050091:Dendrimers; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols
keywords: Dendronized polymers; Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS); Poly(ethylene glycol); Polymer characterization; Star polymers