MATRIX-ASSISTED LASER-DESORPTION IONIZATION TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS-SPECTROMETRY CHARACTERIZATION OF POLY(BUTYL METHACRYLATE) SYNTHESIZED BY GROUP-TRANSFER POLYMERIZATION

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI/TOF) mass spectrometry has been used for the analysis of poly(butyl methac rylate) synthesized by group-transfer polymerization, and the absolute molecular weight distributions have been determined for polymers up t o 100 000. For lower molecular weight poly(butyl methacrylate) we obta ined structural information confirming composition and end groups. The compounds were desorbed from trans-3-indoleacrylic acid and detected as positive ions showing molecular weight and several multiply charged distributions from submilligram amounts of sample. The results provid ed answers to ambiguities which two separate GPC measurements had crea ted. MALDI results were supported by light scattering measurements.