Dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization mass spectrometry of polyisobutylene derivatives initiated by mono- and bifunctional initiators

Nine polyisobutylene (PIB) derivatives with different end groups (chlorine, vinyl, isobutenyl, 2,2-diphenylvinyl, and carboxyl) and molecular weights (1000 to 4500 g/mol), initiated by monofunctional and aromatic bifunctional initiators were studied by atmospheric pressure photoionization mass spectrometry (APPI-MS) in both negative and positive ion modes. Consistent with previous findings, negative ion APPI-MS revealed end-group identities through the formation of PIB adducts with chloride ions formed in situ from a chlorinated solvent (e.g., CCl₄) in the presence of a dopant (toluene). In positive ion mode, considerable fragmentation of these PIB derivatives was observed, rendering end-group determinations very difficult. The M _n values obtained by APPI(−)-MS were considerably lower than those determined by SEC for PIB derivatives with M _n higher than 2000 g/mol. PIBs containing carboxyl termini can undergo collision-induced dissociation, yielding structurally important product ions. The resulting APPI-MS/MS intensities were found to reflect the “arm-length” distribution for PIBs with bifunctional aromatic moieties. In positive ion mode, M+COCl]⁺ adducts were observed for PIBs with an aromatic initiator moiety. The origin of the COCl⁺ species is also discussed.