Structural analysis of synthetic homo- and copolyesters by electrospray ionization on a fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer

The molecular structure of a series of homo- and copolyesters was studied using sustained off-resonance irradiation collisionally activation dissociation on a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. Electrospray ionization was used as an ionization technique. The most important fragmentation pathways of the homopolyesters poly(dipropoxylated bisphenol-A/adipic acid) and poly(dipropoxylated bisphenol-A/isophthalic acid) were studied. Six different dissociation mechanisms were observed which are very similar to the mechanisms found to occur during pyrolysis of these compounds. Four of these mechanisms are a result of cleavages of the ester bond and the others are due to cleavages of the ether bond or bisphenol-A unit. Some of the fragments expected are not present in the spectrum, indicating that each fragment has a specific sodium affinity. Sequence-specific fragments of two of the three copolyester sequences that theoretically can exist were experimentally observed. Fragments that originate from the third sequence are not unique and can also be formed from other sequences. Therefore, it was not possible to determine the presence of the third sequence. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.