title: Imaging Single-Chain Nanoparticle Folding via High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.
abstract: Herein, we introduce the first approach to map single-chain nanoparticle (SCNP) folding via high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) coupled with size exclusion chromatography. For the first time, the successful collapse of polymeric chains into SCNPs is imaged by characteristic mass changes, providing detailed mechanistic information regarding the folding mechanism. As SCNP system we employed methyl methacrylate (MMA) statistically copolymerized with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), resulting in p(MMA-stat-GMA), subsequently collapsed by using B(C6F5)3as catalyst. Both the precursor polymer and the SCNPs can be well ionized via ESI MS, and the strong covalent cross-links are stable during ionization. Our high-resolution mass spectrometric approach can unambiguously differentiate between two mechanistic modes of chain collapse for every chain constituting the SCNP sample.
authors.affiliation: Preparative Macromolecular Chemistry, Institut für Technische Chemie und Polymerchemie, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Engesserstraße 18, 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany.|Institut für Biologische Grenzflächen, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steinkoenig
authors.affiliation: Preparative Macromolecular Chemistry, Institut für Technische Chemie und Polymerchemie, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Engesserstraße 18, 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany.|Institut für Biologische Grenzflächen, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rothfuss
authors.affiliation: Preparative Macromolecular Chemistry, Institut für Technische Chemie und Polymerchemie, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Engesserstraße 18, 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany.|Institut für Biologische Grenzflächen, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lauer
authors.affiliation: Preparative Macromolecular Chemistry, Institut für Technische Chemie und Polymerchemie, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Engesserstraße 18, 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany.|Institut für Biologische Grenzflächen, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
authors.forename: Bryan T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Tuten
authors.affiliation: Preparative Macromolecular Chemistry, Institut für Technische Chemie und Polymerchemie, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Engesserstraße 18, 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany.|Institut für Biologische Grenzflächen, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.|School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) , 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6745-0570
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barner-Kowollik