End-group analysis of blue light-emitting polymers using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

An analytical method based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been applied to provide information on the structure of a copolymer, e.g., repeat unit and end group. Seven conjugated polymers, which have been demonstrated as the active component in blue light-emitting diodes, were synthesized through Suzuki polycondensation reaction in the presence of Pd(PPh3)4 catalyst. Their molecular weights were obtained using gel permeation chromatography analysis. MALDI-TOF MS was used to investigate the structure information in detail. The proposed end-group structures were confirmed by the identity between the observed and the simulated isotopic distribution of each polymer. The results demonstrate that these synthetic polymers possess various end groups and even contain macrocycles. The catalyst Pd(PPh3)4 was found to introduce phenyl end groups via aryl-aryl exchange between the catalytic palladium intermediate and the triphenylphosphine ligand. All these results are based on the analysis of the mass spectrum data, which suggests that MALDI-TOF MS is an extraordinarily strong tool in synthetic polymer structure analysis.