The use of dendrimers as synthetic mass spectrometry calibrants provides several advantages over commercially available biomacromolecular standards. Dendrimers are easily synthesized on a large scale at a range of molecular weights without lengthy or complicated purifications. Furthermore, dendritic calibrants exhibit improved chemical stability and shelf-lives relative to peptide calibrants. These factors make dendrimers more cost effective and easier to use than peptides or biomacromolecules. However, the use of polyester-based dendrimers as internal calibrants for the analysis of peptides or proteins presents a unique problem because they require ionization with metal counterions. These conditions will not efficiently ionize peptides and proteins if the dendritic calibrants are to be used as internal standards.  To circumvent this, dendrimers with amine cores were prepared and explored as calibrants for peptide or protein analytes, confirming that conditions for the mass spectral analysis of these biomacromolecules are adequate for achieving ionization of the amine-functionalized dendritic calibrants.

Use of bis-MPA based dendrimers with amine cores as calibrants for mass spectrometry

245th National Meeting (2013)

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