2. Research activities

Research activities

All research topics carried out at S²MOs revolve around modern analytical methods of mass spectrometry. Research activities in mass spectrometry were initiated in Mons in the mid-1960s when the first mass spectrometer was acquired by the Organic Chemistry Laboratory of the Faculty of Sciences. Since then and without interruption, the successive managers, namely Prof. Maquestiau, Prof Van Haverbeke, Prof Flammang and currently- Prof Gerbaux, have managed to maintain an activity and an extraordinary equipment to carry out research projects in which structural aspects are preponderant.

By combining the impressive possibilities offered by mass spectrometry for the total structural characterization of organic molecules with their abilities in organic synthesis and analytical chemistry, the members of the laboratory are involved in current issues such as environmental protection and the valorization of natural molecules (i.e. biomass) or the solar energy storage.

In a completely original way, the molecules encountered in the various research projects, whether molecules prepared in the laboratory or acquired within the framework of partnerships, are used to develop mass spectrometry methods. These studies are often very fundamental and provide a better understanding of the physicochemical processes surrounding ionization, vaporization, activation, mass analysis and detection of molecules/ions.

The themes currently developed concern:

  1. the chemistry of natural molecules such as saponins (DOI: 10.1002 / mas.21728), flavonoids (DOI: 10.1255 / ejms.1199), lipids (DOI: 10.1016 / j.algal.2021.102388) and polysaccharides ( DOI: 10.1016 / j.algal.2020.102054) to (i) establish the molecular diversity in living organisms such as plants (DOI: 10.1111 / 1744-7917.12410), microalgae (DOI: 10.1016 / j.algal.2021.102388) or marine animals (DOI: 10.1016 / j.cbpb.2013.10.004) to establish their biological role (DOI: 10.1007 / s00216-017-0252-7); (ii) modify the structure of natural molecules to tune their biological properties (DOI: 10.3390 / molecules25071731); (iii) use complex biological molecules to develop state-of-the-art mass spectrometry techniques (DOI: 10.1016 / j.cbpb.2013.10.004), in particular ion mobility spectrometry (DOI: 10.1007 / s13361-019-02310-7);
  2. the chemistry of synthetic macromolecules such as biodegradable polymers (DOI: 10.1039 / c4py01087f) or conjugated polymers (DOI: 10.1021 / ma901888h) to optimize the MS methods for their structural characterization (DOI: 10.1007 / s13361-019-02310-7) or assist our partners in validating their synthetic developments (DOI: 10.1021 / ma901888h);
  3. the chemistry of peptoids which are synthetic biomimetic molecules of peptides to (i) establish the primary structure / secondary structure relationship (DOI: 10.1021 / acs.biomac.9b01567) and (ii) use their huge structural diversity to create chiral selectors (DOI: 10.1021 / acs.biomac.9b01567) or systems able to store solar energy (Molecular Solar thermal Energy Storage – MOST);
  4. the development of mass spectrometry methods for the analysis of original organic molecules, focusing more particularly on (i) the ionization / desolvation (DOI: 10.1039 / c9cp06391a) or ionization/desorption (DOI: 10.1002 / jms.1886) processes, (ii) the modern ion activation methods (DOI: 10.1007 / s13361-019-02342-z) and (iii) ion mobility spectrometry (DOI: 10.1021 / acs.biomac.1c00302).

To carry out their various research projects, the laboratory members manage a self-funded technological platform equipped with six complementary mass spectrometers, namely a Waters Synapt G2-Si (LC-MS, HRMS, MSMS and IMS), a Waters MALDI-QToF Premier (MALDI, HRMS and MSMS), Waters QToF US (LC-MS, HRMS and MSMS), Waters QToF Premier (LC-MS, HRMS and MSMS), Waters Quattro Premier (LC-MS and MSMS) and a Waters GCT Premier (GC-MS and HRMS). This equipment constitutes the most important academic mass spectrometry platform in the field of organic chemistry in Belgium.

Our unit is also associated with the following UMONS research institutes :