Mass spectrometry of dendrimers

Abstract

Mass spectrometry (MS) has become an essential technique to characterize dendrimers as it proved efficient at tackling analytical challenges raised by their peculiar onion‐like structure. Owing to their chemical diversity, this review covers benefits of MS methods as a function of dendrimer classes, discussing advantages and limitations of ionization techniques, tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) strategies to determine the structure of defective species, as well as most recently demonstrated capabilities of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) in the field. Complementarily, the well‐defined structure of these macromolecules offers major advantages in the development of MS‐based method, as reported in a second section reviewing uses of dendrimers as MS and IMS calibration standards and as multifunctional charge inversion reagents in gas phase ion/ion reactions.

Exploring the Conformational Landscape of Poly(l-lysine) Dendrimers Using Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry

“…Supramolecular structures based on polylysine dendrons were first reported by Hirst et al, who highlighted the effects of hydrogen bonding to form gel-like structures as well as characterizing properties, such as the ratio between the chirality of the dendrons and the length of the diamine spacer. As a result of the wide application scope for dendrimers, several analytical methods have been used to characterize them including NMR and size exclusion chromatography. , In part due to their monodispersity and broad mass range (700–30,000 Da), dendrimers have previously also been proposed as MS calibrants, for example, in MALDI-MS and as IM calibrants for CCS calculations . Recently, Saintmot et al used IM-MS, coupled to molecular dynamics simulations, to investigate the conformations of dendrimers and dendriplexes .…”

“…As a result of the wide application scope for dendrimers, several analytical methods have been used to characterize them including NMR 32 and size exclusion chromatography. 33 , 34 In part due to their monodispersity and broad mass range (700–30,000 Da), dendrimers have previously also been proposed as MS calibrants, for example, in MALDI-MS 35 and as IM calibrants for CCS calculations. 36 Recently, Saintmot et al used IM-MS, coupled to molecular dynamics simulations, to investigate the conformations of dendrimers 37 and dendriplexes.…”