Research and Instrumentation

Tom Baker’s research lab (CCRI)

My research project on lignin valorization with the Lignoworks research network generates polar organic compounds of low volatility that are ideally analyzed using UPLC/MS/MS to separate both the reaction components and the resulting ions. A direct injection port of the mass spectrometer also allows us to characterize air sensitive metal complexes using ESI/MS/MS in support of our projects in catalyzed routes to high energy density biofuels and 'green' routes to fluorocarbons.

Dionex/Applied Biosystems API 2000 UPLC/MS/MS.   Dionex ultra-performance liquid chromatograph coupled with the high sensitivity Applied Biosystems triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. 

Maxim Berezovski’s research lab (MRN 02)

My research focuses on:

  • Bioanalytical Chemistry — the analysis of biomolecules and their non-covalent interactions with Kinetic Capillary Electrophoresis and Mass Spectrometry;
  • Biopharmaceuticals & Biosensors — the selection and application of DNA aptamers in therapeutic and diagnostic purposes;
  • Protein and MicroRNA Biomarkers for cancer and immune cells.

Waters Micromass Syanpt-G2 quadrupole-ion mobility-TOF mass spectrometer for protein identification.  It is coupled with capillary electrophoresis for this purpose.

Chris Boddy’s research lab (D’Iorio 123)

Bruker Microflex MALDI-TOF instrument used for analysis of high molecular weight compounds.
Applied Biosystems API 2000 LC/MS/MS.  This instrument integrates the Shimadzu HPLC front end with the high sensitivity Applied Biosystems triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer.

Deryn Fogg’s research lab (D’Iorio 338)

The Fogg group has pioneered the application of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to challenging problems in organometallic chemistry and catalysis. Central to this work is the capacity to analyze air-sensitive complexes under rigorously anaerobic and anhydrous conditions, enabled by interfacing the spectrometer to an inert-atmosphere glovebox.  We have used these methodologies extensively to address problems of structural elucidation: that is, identifying the structures of organometallic (or inorganic) complexes prepared by novel synthetic routes. This addresses a key need, as traditional MS methods are too high-energy to permit observation of intact metal species, and fragmentation and/or decomposition are major problems, particularly where reactive species are sought. We have developed charge-transfer ionization methods to eliminate the problem of ligand protonolysis that plagues MALDI-MS analysis using classical, aromatic acid matrices. The frontier of the method, however, lies in elucidation of reaction pathways in transition-metal catalysis, and this is the focus of current research efforts.

Representative publications:

  • "Ethylene-promoted vs. ethylene-free enyne metathesis." A.G.D. Grotevendt, J.A.M. Lummiss, M.L. Mastronardi, D.E. Fogg*, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, ASAP article.
  • “Unprecedentedly Strong Binding of Dinitrogen at Ruthenium." J.M. Blacquiere, C.S. Higman, S.I. Gorelsky, N.J. Beach, S.J. Dalgarno, D.E. Fogg*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 916-919.
  • "Integrating the Schrock and Grubbs Catalysts: Ru-binaphtholate catalysts for olefin metathesis." J.M. Blacquiere, R. McDonald, D.E. Fogg*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 3807-3810.
  • "MALDI Mass Spectrometry as a Tool for Insight in Organotransition-Metal Catalysis." M.D. Eelman, J.M. Blacquiere, M.M. Moriarty, D.E. Fogg*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2008, 47, 303-306 (VIP Paper; featured on inside cover).
  • "Oligomers as Intermediates in Ring-Closing Metathesis." Jay C. Conrad, Melanie D. Eelman, Jo‹o A. Duarte Silva, Sebastien Monfette, Henrietta H. Parnas, Jennifer L. Snelgrove, and Deryn E. Fogg,* J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2007, 129, 1024-1025

Bruker OmniFlex MALDI-TOF MS, interfaced to an MBraun LabMaster 130 Glovebox. This configuration (the first in the world) permits rigorously anaerobic and anhydrous analysis of air-sensitive organometallic and inorganic compounds.  

Paul Mayer’s research lab (D’Iorio 124)

My research focuses on the dynamics of the reactions of gas-phase ions. The work involves studying the mechanisms for ion dissociation and reactivity in mass spectrometry and the energetic and entropic factors that influence this reactivity. We pursue this work experimentally with mass spectrometry and theoretically with statistical rate theory and computational chemistry.  The systems we study range from small atmospheric ions and neutrals up to non-covalent polymer and protein/substrate complexes . We also compliment this work with information from imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy (iPEPICO done at the Swiss Light Source) and collision-induced emission spectroscopy (in our lab).

VG ZAB magnetic sector mass spectrometers (BEE geometry).
Micromass Q-TOF 2 quadrupole – time-of-flight mass spectrometers, with ESI, nano-ESI and APCI sources
AB Sciex QStar quadrupole – time-of-flight mass spectrometer.
Micromass Quattro-LC triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer with ESI and APCI sources.
Agilent 500 ESI-Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer - Agilent donates instrument for fundamental ion chemistry studies:  click here for details

The John L. Holmes Mass Spectrometry Facility (D’Iorio 124)

Kratos Concept double focussing magnetic sector mass spectrometer with electron ionization (EI) source.
Micromass Q-TOF I quadrupole – time-of-flight mass spectrometer with ESI and APCI sources.
Hewlett Packard GC-MS gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer with EI source.