Generation of end-group information from polyethers by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry

A series of polyethers, namely poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), poly(propylene glycol) (PPG), poly(butylene glycol) (PBG) and poly(tetramethylene glycol) (PTMeG), has been characterised by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation collision-induced dissociation (MALDI-CID) using a hybrid sector orthogonal-time-of-flight (TOF) instrument. The data indicate that this technique can be used to generate information about the end-group functionality of these polymers, including in some cases information about branching of the alkyl chains of the initiating groups. Proposals are made for the fragmentation pathways for these polymers. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.