Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is a modern application of light used in analytican purposes such as tissue mapping. One of the advantages of MALDI is the ability to perform a detection on a tissue directly which keeps the spacial disruption of the analytes in the tissue.
MALDI performs a soft ionisation of the analytes with the aid of a matrix-coating onto the tissue itself, to enable the detection of the analytes through a mass spectrometry system. A matrix synthesis is performed in several steps and this project focuses on the second step in the matrix synthesis, the suzuki-coupling reaction as well as trying to improve the outcome. The reaction was performed using Suzuki Miyauras catalytic cycle with the aid of a Palladium catalyst (Pd [PPh3]4) to create a carbon bond between a Anthracene-9-boronic acid and methyl 3-[(5-bromopyridin-3-yl) formamido] propanoate, with the latter one being the limiting reagent.
Results: In terms of the main aim of the project, a full conversion of the reagents was achieved throughout the project as well as a significant improvement to the time of the reaction by using an irradiated microwave and a higher temperature. Another improvement that was acquired beyond the aim of the reaction was isolating a hydrolyzed version of the desired compound as well defining conditions to acquiring an ester version of the compound and an acid version.