Poly(ethylene glycol) doubly and singly cationized by different alkali metal ions: relative cation affinities and cation-dependent resolution in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer.

Structural information of gas phase complexes of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) cationized by one or two different alkali metal ions is inferred from MS and MS/MS experiments performed with an electrospray quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. The rationale for selecting PEG was that its sites for cation binding are non-selective with respect to the repeating monomeric unit of the polymer, but there is selectivity with respect to the formation of an inner coordination sphere specific to each metal ion. The dissociation of [M1+ M2+ (EO23)], where EO23 = linear polymer of ethylene oxide, 23 units in length, resulted in loss of one of the alkali metal ions, with preference for loss of the larger cation, with no fragmentation of the PEG backbone for Na, K, Rb, and Cs. Li was not examined in this portion of the study. The selectivity for loss of the larger alkali metal ion was [Na+ K+ (EO23)] to [Na+ (EO23)] + K+ at 100%; [K+ Rb+ (EO23)] to [K+ (EO23)] + Rb+ at 93%; and [Rb+ Cs+ (EO23)] to [Rb+ (Eo23)] + Cs+ at 99%. The resolution of [M+ (EOx)] for x = 20-30 was dependent on the alkali metal ion, with the highest resolution observed for Cs+ and the lowest for Na+. These results are discussed with respect to the packing of the oxygen atoms on PEG (M.W.(avg) = 1000) around an alkali metal ion of different radius, and how this packing leads to an ensemble of unique structures, and therefore mobilities for [M+ (EOx)].