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Characterization of Synthetic Polymers via Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 10, 2018
Isomeric identification by laser control mass spectrometry.
Johanna M Dela Cruz1, Vadim V Lozovoy, Marcos Dantus
1Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Femtosecond laser pulses precisely control molecular fragmentation, enabling accurate identification of isomers using mass spectrometry. This technique distinguishes compounds previously indistinguishable by conventional methods.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Distinguishing between structural isomers is challenging with conventional mass spectrometry techniques.
- Molecular photofragmentation and ionization are sensitive to subtle structural differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel technique for fast, accurate, and quantitative isomeric identification.
- To demonstrate the capability of femtosecond laser control mass spectrometry in distinguishing complex isomers.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing shaped femtosecond laser pulses to induce selective molecular photofragmentation and ionization.
- Employing mass spectrometry to detect and analyze unique fragmentation patterns (fingerprints) generated by laser-molecule interactions.
- Introducing complex phase functions to enhance structural-dependent fragmentation differences.
Main Results:
- Successfully distinguished between geometric isomers (cis-/trans-3-heptene, cis-/trans-4-methyl-2-pentene) and positional isomers (o-/p-cresol, o-/p-xylene).
- Developed a comprehensive dataset of 1024 phases for xylene isomers, enabling quantitative identification in mixtures using a selection of two phases.
- Receiver operational characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated high reliability of the femtosecond laser control mass spectrometry technique.
Conclusions:
- Femtosecond laser control mass spectrometry offers a powerful and reliable method for isomeric identification, surpassing conventional techniques.
- The ability to control laser-molecule interactions via phase functions allows for the creation of distinct fragmentation fingerprints.
- This technique holds significant potential for applications requiring precise and rapid analysis of isomeric compounds.
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