Acquisition of a High Resolution Mass Spectrometer

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Professors Michael P. Doyle, Jeffrey T. Davis, Daniel E. Falvey, Lyle D. Issacs and Herman O. Sintim of the University of Maryland have submitted a proposal in response to the CRIF: MU solicitation to acquire a high resolution double sector mass spectrometer. The research projects it will support are related to a variety of studies including: (i) synthesis and application of unnatural amino acids; (ii) characterization of small molecule intermediates used in supramolecular chemistry, molecular recognition, and the assembly of receptors for transmembrane ion-transport; (iii) development of highly selective and efficient catalytic processes for the synthesis of biologically relevant compounds; (iv) the study of photo induced electron transfer reactions and the generation of novel high spin organic species; (v) development of small molecule probes for electron and electrophile migration along strands of DNA; and, (vi) total synthesis of antibiotics of the family of Platensimycin. Mass spectrometry (MS) is used to identify the chemical composition of a sample and determine its purity. A high resolution mass spectrometer has the capability of performing accurate elemental composition analysis of compounds. This makes it a powerful tool for identification of known and unknown or new compounds. This acquisition will benefit undergraduate and graduate students in their research and in a new experimental course to be developed. Students and faculty at Howard University Virginia State University and Catholic University will also use it to analyze samples.