Reactive MALDI mass spectrometry: application to high mass alkanes and polyethylene.

A molecular solid of fullerene (C(60)) intercalated with cobalt cyclopentadienyl dicarbonyl (CoCp(CO)(2)) was shown to be an effective matrix for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI) of large alkanes (demonstrated up to C(94)H(190)) and polyethylenes that otherwise cannot be produced as intact ions in the gas phase.