Electron capture dissociation and collision-induced dissociation of metal ion (Ag+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, and Fe3+) complexes of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers

The electron capture dissociation (ECD) and collision-induced dissociation (CID) of complexes of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers with metal ions Ag⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe²⁺, and Fe³⁺ were determined by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Complexes were of the form PD + M + mH]⁵⁺ where PD = generation two PAMAM dendrimer with amidoethanol surface groups, M = metal ion, m = 2−4. Complementary information regarding the site and coordination chemistry of the metal ions can be obtained from the two techniques. The results suggest that complexes of Fe³⁺ and Cu²⁺ are coordinated via both core tertiary amines, whereas coordination of Ag⁺ involves a single core tertiary amine. The Zn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ complexes do not appear to involve coordination by the dendrimer core.