MALDI-TOF MS Measurements Research Articles

Differentiation of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis Using Genome-Guided MALDI-TOF MS Based on Variations in Ribosomal Proteins.

Bacillus cereus and B. thuringiensis are closely related species that are relevant to foodborne diseases and biopesticides, respectively. Unambiguous differentiation of these two species is crucial for bacterial taxonomy. As genome analysis offers an objective but time-consuming classification of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis, in the present study, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was used to accelerate this process. By combining in silico genome analysis and MALDI-TOF MS measurements, four species-specific peaks of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis were screened and identified. The species-specific peaks of B. cereus were m/z 3211, 6427, 9188, and 9214, and the species-specific peaks of B. thuringiensis were m/z 3218, 6441, 9160, and 9229. All the above peaks represent ribosomal proteins, which are conserved and consistent with the phylogenetic relationship between B. cereus and B. thuringiensis. The specificity of the peaks was robustly verified using common foodborne pathogens. Thus, we concluded that genome-guided MALDI-TOF MS allows high-throughput differentiation of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis and provides a framework for differentiating other closely related species.

Rapid analysis of ketamine with in-house antibody conjugated boronic acid modified silver chip on MALDI-TOF MS measurement

An antibody conjugated boronic acid modified silver chip (ABAS ship) is fabricated as a simple, rapid, accurate, sensitive and cost-effective sample preparation method for abused drug quantification in human urine. Ketamine, one common abused drug, was applied as proof of concept for ABAS chip with high resolution matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis. The overall testing process required 10 min at part per billion (ppb) sensitivity level, where current drug testing method necessitated several hours with similar sensitivity. The ABAS chip manufacture process started with slide glass by way of silver mirror reaction to form silver conductive glass for further chemical conjugation. Boronic acid functional group was decorated on silver conductive glass through the formation of silver-thiol (Ag–S) bond. Anti-ketamine antibody was covalently conjugated to boronic acid modified silver conductive glass through the formation of cyclic boronate ester between the boronic acid and the cis-diol groups on the glycans of antibody, which maintain the correct orientation to maximally capture its antigen. The resulting ABAS chip were designed to specifically capture ketamine in human urine samples, that could be directly analyzed by addition of MALDI α-Cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) matrix solution. The linear dynamic range of concentration in this method was 10–500 ng/mL with coefficient of determination 0.996. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 2.0 and 7.0 ng/mL, respectively. Importantly, the proposed method allows rapid and accurate quantification of ketamine from suspects’ urine samples in 10 min and small sample volume of 1 μL was required. The resulting data were consistent with traditional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Our homemade ABAS chip could thus provide a powerful tool not only for forensic science but also for most clinical diagnosis of disease as many expression antibodies for the occurrence of diverse diseases could be simply produced and purchased.

CD Oxyanions as a Tool for Synthesis of Highly Anionic Cyclodextrin Polymers.

Water soluble highly anionic β-cyclodextrin-based polymers were synthesized by reaction between cyclodextrin oxyanion and pyromellitic anhydride. The synthesis method utilizes activation hydroxyl groups in anhydrous glucopyranosyl units (AGU) in the DMF solution with the use of NaH. In these conditions, like in the case of the cyclodextrin reactions in the highly alkaline media, there is a nucleophilic substitution of difunctional compounds, which develops a polymer network with various cyclodextrin substitution. Different molar ratios of the reagents were investigated in terms of molecular size, chemical structure and water solubility of the polymers. The separation of the polymer due to particle size by ultrafiltration process and HPSEC-MALLS-RI and MALDI-TOF MS measurements for molecular mass analysis were employed. The IR, H NMR, SEM, DSC and TG measurements were taken for the structural characterization of the polymers. Additionally, the solubility test and metal ion complexation processes were also investigated in a wide range of pH. These polymers could be used in several areas such as: improving the aqueous solubility of poor water-soluble molecules, removing heavy metals from waste water, protecting degradable substances or synthesizing new drug delivery systems.

Nitrile N-oxide-terminated poly(γ-benzyl l-glutamate) (PBLG): synthesis and catalyst-free grafting onto polybutadiene (PBD) and natural rubber (NR)

A nitrile N-oxide-functionalized polypeptide was synthesized by a two-step method involving the combination of ring-opening polymerization of an α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydride monomer using a primary amine initiator containing a nitroalkane group and a subsequent terminal conversion. The catalyst-free grafting reaction of the formed functionalized peptide with rubbers containing double bonds was achieved with high efficiency. A nitrile N-oxide-functionalized polypeptide was synthesized by a two-step method involving the combination of ring-opening polymerization of an amino acid N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) monomer using a primary amine initiator containing a nitroalkane group and a subsequent terminal conversion. The formed peptide was fully characterized by NMR, FT-IR, and MALDI-TOF MS measurements. The catalyst-free grafting reaction of the formed functionalized peptide with rubbers containing double bonds was achieved with high efficiency via an environmentally benign process. These results surely contributed to the development of novel peptide-grafted polymers.

Lead-Doped Titanium-Oxo Clusters as Molecular Models of Perovskite-Type PbTiO3 and Electron-Transport Material in Solar Cells.

In this work we have successfully prepared two lead-doped titanium-oxo clusters with core structures that resemble isolated perovskite PbTiO3 species. In the obtained highly symmetric Pb8 Ti7 -oxo cluster, the central TiO6 octahedra are orthogonally extended to adjacent octahedra through corner-sharing and the eight dopant lead ions form a cubic arrangement, making it the first molecular model of perovskite PbTiO3 . Moreover, the clusters readily dissolved in chloroform and showed high solution stability, as confirmed by MALDI-TOF MS measurements. Based on such solution processability, they can be easily spin-coated to form homogeneous films, which were employed as electron-transport materials in perovskite solar cells to give an average power conversion efficiency of around 15 % and improved device stability. This newly developed bottom-up cluster assembly method provides an efficient approach to the construction of atomically precise models of perovskite metal oxides as well as potential molecular tools to extend their applications.

A selective adsorption-based separation of low-mass molecules from biological samples towards high-throughput mass spectrometry analysis in a single drop of human whole blood

In this work, a newly designed multifunctional adsorbent material, octadecyl-modified ordered mesoporous carbon (C18-CMK-8), was synthesized and employed for simultaneous analysis of multiple small molecules by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The C18-CMK-8 was facilely prepared by one-step chemical binding of octadecyltrimethoxysilane to an ordered mesoporous carbon CMK-8. The nanosized pore structure of C18-CMK-8 can selectively enrich low-mass molecules while excluding interferences from large molecules in whole blood; meanwhile, the C18 chain can greatly enhance the affinity for a wide range of small molecules. Then, the C18-CMK-8-based solid-phase extraction (SPE) combined with MALDI-TOF MS measurement was applied in rapid and high-throughput screening of six doping agents (triamterene, trenbolone, testosterone, methyltestosterone, clenbuterol, and strychnine)) in single-drop human whole blood samples. The method showed high analytical sensitivity (detection limit 0.05–0.1 ng mL−1), good recoveries (67.2–114.3%), minimal sample requirement (∼20 μL), and robust anti-interference ability. With distinct advantages such as high throughput, rapidness, minimal sample requirement, and high sensitivity, this study not only offers a versatile enrichment material for complex sample preparation, but also demonstrates a promising tool for minimal whole blood analysis.

Secondary Structural Changes in Proteins as a Result of Electroadsorption at Aqueous-Organogel Interfaces.

The electroadsorption of proteins at aqueous-organic interfaces offers the possibility to examine protein structural rearrangements upon interaction with lipophilic phases, without modifying the bulk protein or relying on a solid support. The aqueous-organic interface has already provided a simple means of electrochemical protein detection, often involving adsorption and ion complexation; however, little is yet known about the protein structure at these electrified interfaces. This work focuses on the interaction between proteins and an electrified aqueous-organic interface via controlled protein electroadsorption. Four proteins known to be electroactive at such interfaces were studied: lysozyme, myoglobin, cytochrome c, and hemoglobin. Following controlled protein electroadsorption onto the interface, ex situ structural characterization of the proteins by FTIR spectroscopy was undertaken, focusing on secondary structural traits within the amide I band. The structural variations observed included unfolding to form aggregated antiparallel β-sheets, where the rearrangement was specifically dependent on the interaction with the organic phase. This was supported by MALDI ToF MS measurements, which showed the formation of protein-anion complexes for three of these proteins, and molecular dynamic simulations, which modeled the structure of lysozyme at an aqueous-organic interface. On the basis of these findings, the modulation of protein secondary structure by interfacial electrochemistry opens up unique prospects to selectively modify proteins.

Molecular Characterization of High Molecular Weight Polyesters by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Combined with On-plate Alkaline Degradation and Mass Defect Analysis

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI HR TOF MS) is a powerful tool for the molecular characterization of industrial polymers. However, accurate mass determination and resolution of isobaric ions are possible for oligomer samples only typically below m/z 3000. To cut long polymer chains into oligomers suitable for high-resolution mass spectrometry, we propose a simple “on-plate” alkaline degradation of polyesters as a sample pretreatment technique prior to the MALDI TOF MS measurement. This pretreatment can be performed on a MALDI target using a small amount of sample (μg or less) and 1 μL of alkaline reagent by simple pipetting. Informative mass spectra in the oligomeric mass range are successfully recorded but complicated by the variation of end-groups and the copolymeric composition of the degradation products. Data processing is assisted by a series of advanced Kendrick mass defect (KMD) analyses recently proposed by the authors to plot visually understandable two-dimensional maps. On-plate degradation pretreatment, high-resolution MALDI TOF MS measurements, and advanced KMD analyses are innovatively combined for the compositional characterization of bacterial poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid-co-3-hydroxyvaleric acid) and industrial poly(ethylene terephthalate) samples.Graphical ᅟ

Determination of the Phosphatidylcholine/Lysophosphatidylcholine Ratio in Intact Serum by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry with Prior Enzymatic Albumin Digestion.

Lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPtdCho) is a well-known biomarker in body fluids for inflammation and oxidative stress and provides a possible clinical screening marker for certain diseases where inflammation is involved. It was shown in our previous article that the measurement of intact serum using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) provides the phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho)/lysoPtdCho ratios faster than the measurements after organic extraction, while the standard deviations of those "intact" measurements are even smaller. Surprisingly, the PtdCho/lysoPtdCho ratio is about two times higher in the intact serum MALDI-TOF MS measurement than in the MALDI-TOF MS analysis of the organic extracts. Albumin binding of lysoPtdCho seems to be a very likely reason for increased PtdCho/lysoPtdCho ratios in the intact serum measurements. In this article, this hypothesis is tested on horse serum as a biological sample. Albumin (equine and bovine) addition to serum shows an increase in the PtdCho/lysoPtdCho ratio detected by MALDI-TOF MS. Further experiments with a comparable lipid model suspension verify that pepsin and trypsin are able to liberate the bound lipids. Under different conditions, the effects of both enzymes on the lipid model suspension are compared. Finally, an improved MALDI-TOF MS measurement of the PtdCho/lysoPtdCho ratio in intact serum after a prior pepsin digestion step was established. As is known that lysoPtdCho is cytotoxic and albumin is capable of decreasing this cytotoxicity by binding lysoPtdCho, this study proposes to consider both PtdCho/lysoPtdCho ratios-with and without albumin-bound lysoPtdCho-that could be superior diagnostic markers for inflammation and oxidative stress.

Microbiology neutralization of zearalenone using Lactococcus lactis and Bifidobacterium sp.

The aim of the study was to neutralize zearalenone by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) such as Lactococcus lactis and Bifidobacterium sp. and investigate the mechanism of zearalenone (ZEA) binding. Neutralization of ZEA by LAB was confirmed by identification of binding kinetics and spectroscopic studies such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The obtained results showed that the kinetic process of zearalenone binding to L. lactis is not homogeneous but is expressed with an initial rapid stage with about 90% of ZEA biosorption and with a much slower second step. In case of Bifidobacterium sp., the neutralization process is homogeneous; the main stage can be described with about 88% of ZEA biosorption. MALDI–TOF-MS measurements and FTIR analysis confirmed the uptake of zearalenone molecules by bacterial species. Moreover, the assessment of dead and live lactic acid bacteria cells after zearalenone treatment was performed using fluorescence microscopy.Graphical abstractMicrobiology neutralization of zearalenone using Lactococcus lactis and Bifidobacterium sp. was confirmed by identification of binding kinetics and spectroscopic studies such as FT-IR spectroscopy and MALDI-TOF-MS spectrometry. The mechanism of ZEA binding was also investigated.

Exploration of tertiary aminosquaramide bifunctional organocatalyst in controlled/living ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide

A series of tertiary aminosquaramides as bifunctional organocatalysts in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of l-lactide (l-LA) were developed, allowing the activation of both the l-LA monomer and the alcohol group of the initiator/propagating species. Further, the impact of tertiary nitrogen substituents on catalytic activity in ROP of l-LA was explored. The tertiary aminosquaramide— an air-stable and moisture-stable catalyst—exhibited superior activity in contest with thiourea counterpart when both were equipped with a similar tertiary amine group. Kinetic and chain-extension experiments indicated that the formed poly(l-LA) is featured with narrow polydispersity and high end-group fidelity, hallmarks of a living polymerization process. The initiator efficiency was further executed at ease by preparation of an ABA triblock copolymer poly (l-LA)-b-poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly (l-LA) in the presence of a dual-headed PEG macroinitiator. 1H NMR titration experiments suggested a bifunctional catalytic mechanism, wherein both the l-LA monomer and the propagating hydroxyl group were activated en route to polymerization. The 1H NMR, SEC, and MALDI-TOF MS measurements validated the quantitative incorporation of the initiator in the polymeric chains and enchainment over competitive trans-esterification reaction. Overall, the structure-activity relationships were surveyed to uncover aminosquaramide as a new bifunctional dual hydrogen-bond donor catalyst for living ROP of l-LA. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017

Zwitterionic Ring-Opening Polymerization of N-Substituted Eight-Membered Cyclic Carbonates to Generate Cyclic Poly(carbonate)s.

The zwitterionic ring-opening polymerization of N-functionalized eight-membered cyclic carbonates with N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) in the absence of alcohol initiators generates cyclic polycarbonates of Mn ∼ 30-100 kDa. The polymerization behavior of these eight-membered cyclic azacarbonates depends sensitively on the nature of the nitrogen substituent. The N-benzyl-substituted eight-membered cyclic carbonate (8CCBn) polymerizes readily with 1,3-diisopropyl-4,5-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene to generate cyclic polycarbonates with molecular weights of Mn = 14 000 to 96 000 Da. In contrast, the N-phenyl-substituted cyclic carbonate (8CCPh) catalytically dimerizes in the presence of the NHC to afford the crystalline cyclic dimer. The zwitterionic ring-opening copolymerization of δ-valerolactone (VL) and the cyclic carbonates afford gradient cyclic copolymers. The cyclic topology of both the homopolymers and copolymers was supported by MALDI-TOF MS and intrinsic viscosity measurements. 13C NMR and differential scanning calorimetry of the cyclic copolymers are indicative of a gradient sequence distribution as a consequence of the more rapid enchainment of the cyclic carbonates relative to valerolactone.

Structural characterization of allomelanin from black oat

The brown to black coloration found in plants is due to the melanins, which have been relatively poorly investigated among the plant pigments. The aim of this work was to study the dark pigment extracted from the black oat hull with respect to composition and structure. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were applied for the characterization of the pigment. UV–Vis spectroscopy revealed that the extracted material displays a broadband, structureless absorption profile a common feature of melanins. MALDI-TOF MS measurements demonstrated that oat melanin is a homopolymer built up from p-coumaric acid and consists mainly of low molecular weight (527–1499 Da) oligomers of 3–9 monomer units. The tetramer oligomer proved to be dominant. The results of the FT-IR analysis indicated that oat melanin is a fully conjugated aromatic system containing tetrasubstituted aromatic rings linked by CC coupling. The in vitro preparation of melanin from p-coumaric acid by horseradish peroxidase was performed for comparison. The resulting polymer consisted of oligomers of 4–9 monomer units similarly to those in oat melanin. However, the building blocks proved to be connected to each other via COC linkages in contrast with the CC linkages in oat melanin.

Direct identification of trypanosomatids by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (DIT MALDI-TOF MS).

Accurate and rapid determination of trypanosomatids is essential in epidemiological surveillance and therapeutic studies. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been shown to be a useful and powerful technique to identify bacteria, fungi, metazoa and human intact cells with applications in clinical settings. Here, we developed and optimized a MALDI-TOF MS method to profile trypanosomatids. trypanosomatid cells were deposited on a MALDI target plate followed by addition of matrix solution. The plate was then subjected to MALDI-TOF MS measurement to create reference mass spectra library and unknown samples were identified by pattern matching using the BioTyper software tool. Several m/z peaks reproducibly and uniquely identified trypanosomatids species showing the potentials of direct identification of trypanosomatids by MALDI-TOF MS. Moreover, this method discriminated different life stages of Trypanosoma cruzi, epimastigote and bloodstream trypomastigote and Trypanosoma brucei, procyclic and bloodstream. T. cruzi Discrete Typing Units (DTUs) were also discriminated in three clades. However, it was not possible to achieve enough resolution and software-assisted identification at the strain level. Overall, this study shows the importance of MALDI-TOF MS for the direct identification of trypanosomatids and opens new avenues for mass spectrometry-based detection of parasites in biofluids. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Thiourea binding with carboxylic acid promoted cationic ring-opening polymerization

H-bonding organocatalysis using (thio)urea/amine achieved massive success. H-bonding binding with Brønsted acid catalysis, especially in polymerizations, was scarcely explored. Here we disclosed 1,3-bis-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)thiourea (TU) as hydrogen bond donor (HBD), combined with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as a Brønsted acid (BA), promoted efficient controlled/living ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of δ-valerolactone (δ-VL) and ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) at room temperature. The ROPs of δ-VL and ε-CL with benzyl alcohol (BnOH) as the initiator yielded poly(δ-valerolactone) (PVL, Mn, NMR = 1900–9900 g mol−1, Mw/Mn = 1.28–1.34) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL, Mn, NMR = 2400–11,600 g mol−1, Mw/Mn = 1.19–1.35) with predicted molecular weights and narrow dispersities. A plausible mechanism of the ROP promoted by associations of TU with TFA through double hydrogen bonding was suggested, in which stabilizing of the carboxylate anion and enhancing of the Brønsted acidity made the catalytic ROPs by TU–TFA viable. The quantitative incorporation of the initiator into the polymer chains was demonstrated by 1H NMR and MALDI-ToF MS measurements. The controlled/living fashion of the polymerization was supported by the kinetics and chain extension experiments. Synthesis of well defined block copolymers of PVL-b-PCL and PCL-b-PVL verified again the ROPs were in controlled/living manner, and suggested the hydrogen bond donor binding with Brønsted acid catalysis to be a generally applicable method.

Verification of Ribosomal Proteins of Aspergillus fumigatus for Use as Biomarkers in MALDI-TOF MS Identification.

We have previously proposed a rapid identification method for bacterial strains based on the profiles of their ribosomal subunit proteins (RSPs), observed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). This method can perform phylogenetic characterization based on the mass of housekeeping RSP biomarkers, ideally calculated from amino acid sequence information registered in public protein databases. With the aim of extending its field of application to medical mycology, this study investigates the actual state of information of RSPs of eukaryotic fungi registered in public protein databases through the characterization of ribosomal protein fractions extracted from genome-sequenced Aspergillus fumigatus strains Af293 and A1163 as a model. In this process, we have found that the public protein databases harbor problems. The RSP names are in confusion, so we have provisionally unified them using the yeast naming system. The most serious problem is that many incorrect sequences are registered in the public protein databases. Surprisingly, more than half of the sequences are incorrect, due chiefly to mis-annotation of exon/intron structures. These errors could be corrected by a combination of in silico inspection by sequence homology analysis and MALDI-TOF MS measurements. We were also able to confirm conserved post-translational modifications in eleven RSPs. After these verifications, the masses of 31 expressed RSPs under 20,000 Da could be accurately confirmed. These RSPs have a potential to be useful biomarkers for identifying clinical isolates of A. fumigatus.

Boric acid as biocatalyst for living ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone

Boric acid (1, B(OH)3) was investigated as metal-free biocatalyst for its activity towards the bulk ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (CL) initiated by benzyl alcohol (BnOH). Moreover, other boric acid derivates such as phenylboronic acid (2), 2-thienylboronic acid (3), 2-furanylboronic acid (4) and 5-pyrimidinylboronic acid (5) were also used as acidic catalysts to synthesize poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(δ-valerolactone) (PVL) and poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC). The studies on the polymerization kinetics for all catalysts confirm that the reaction rates are first-order with respect to monomer and their catalytic activities follow the order 1 > 3 > 2 ≈ 4 > 5. Furthermore, the block copolymerization of ε-caprolactone (CL) with δ-valerolactone (VL) and trimethylene carbonate (TMC) successfully proceeded by the sequential monomer addition to give PCL-b-PVL and PTMC-b-PCL copolymers, indicating the living nature of the present polymerization system. The end group analysis by 1H NMR and MALDI-TOF MS measurements suggested that the benzyl moiety of initiator inserted into the synthesized polymeric chain. The existence of the interaction between the catalyst B(OH)3 and the monomer CL supports that B(OH)3 catalyzed ROP of CL preferred an activated monomer mechanism. A possible model for the initiation and propagation procedures of ROP of cyclic esters catalyzed by boric acid in the presence of benzyl alcohol was proposed.

ESR study of singlet oxygen generation and its behavior during the photo-oxidation of P3HT in solution

Generation of 1O2 from poly-(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) irradiated in the presence of O2 in chlorobenzene was investigated using ESR measurement, employing 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (TEMP) as a spin trap. 1O2 was found to be formed with O2ˉ being produced in parallel at a branching ratio of 99:1. Additionally, the reaction of P3HT with 1O2 was investigated using an endoperoxide as the 1O2 source in CCl4 by MALDI–TOF MS measurement. The upper limit of the rate constant for the reaction of P3HT with 1O2 was estimated using a kinetics simulation. These findings raise the understanding of the photo-oxidative degradation of P3HT.

A base–conjugate-acid pair for living/controlled ring-opening polymerization of trimethylene carbonate through hydrogen-bonding bifunctional synergistic catalysis

The ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of trimethylene carbonate (TMC) using a base–acid binary organocatalyst system of 7-methyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (MTBD) and Bronsted acid trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFA) with benzyl alcohol (BnOH) as the initiator has been investigated. The MTBD and its conjugate-acid pair H-bonding bifunctional synergistic activation mechanism was demonstrated by NMR measurements, and the living/controlled nature of MTBD/TFA catalyzed ROP of TMC was confirmed by the kinetic and chain extension experiments. The controlled ROP of TMC with the optimal molar ratio of MTBD/TFA = 2/1 proceeded to afford well-defined PTMC with narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn ∼ 1.1). The molecular weights determined by 1H NMR are in precise agreement with the theoretical values. 1H NMR, SEC, and MALDI-ToF MS measurements confirmed the structure of the obtained homopolymer PTMC. In addition, a diblock copolymer consisting of poly(trimethylene carbonate) and poly(L-lactide) (PTMC-b-PLLA) was synthesized successfully by the MTBD/TFA binary catalyst system.

N-heterocyclic carbenes as organocatalysts in controlled/living ring-opening polymerization ofO-carboxyanhydrides derived froml-lactic acid andl-mandelic acid

An organocatalytic approach to controlled/living ring-opening polymerizations (ROPs) of O-carboxyanhydrides (OCAs) using N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) as nucleophilic catalysts has been investigated. NHCs with different structures were used in order to compare the catalytic performances in the ROP of OCA of l-lactic acid. 1H NMR, SEC, and MALDI-TOF MS measurements of the products clearly indicated a controlled/living manner of the polymerization. The controlled/living nature was further confirmed by kinetic and chain extension experiments. Additionally, polylol initiators were used to produce α,ω-dihydroxy telechelic, 3-, and 4-armed star-shaped polymers. Moreover, star-shaped diblock copolymer, bearing methyl and phenyl side groups, has been successfully synthesized with OCA/NHC system. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014. 52, 2306–2315