Utilizing matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-collision induced dissociation for the generation of structural information from poly(alkyl methacrylate)s

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-collision induced dissociation (MALDI-CID) has been employed for the analysis of poly(alkyl methacrylate)s in a tandem hybrid sector-time of flight instrument. Spectra are shown for adducts of poly(ethyl methacrylate) and poly(butyl methacrylate) with sodium ions. It is proposed that the masses of the end groups may be inferred from the data for the polymers. Mechanisms are proposed for the formation of some of the series of ion peaks that are observed in the MALDI-CID spectra.