Determination of sequence and composition in poly(butyleneadipate-co-butyleneterephthalate) by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

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Eur. J. Mass Spectrom. 4, 459 - 465 (1998)

Determination of sequence and composition in poly(butyleneadipate-co-butyleneterephthalate) by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Maurizio S. Montaudo and Filippo Samperi
Istituto per la Chimica e la Tecnologia dei Materiali Polimerici, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy.

ABSTRACT:

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been used here for the analysis of an unfractionated copolymer sample of poly(butyleneadipate-co-butyleneterephthalate) (PBA/PBT). This is our first report on unfractionated samples, since previous studies by MALDI-TOF MS have concerned copolymer fractions. Mass-resolved peaks are seen up to 8000 Da. The peaks are due to oligomers which have a methylester and an hydroxy as end groups (CH₃O/OH), which desorb by uptake of a sodium cation. We compared the intensity of mass spectral peaks with the theoretical intensities generated using a Bernoullian distribution of sequences. The composition which gives the best match was searched by the MACO4 program and a value of 49/51 in favor of terephthalic units was found, in excellent agreement with the composition derived from the ¹H NMR data.

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