Preparation of porous styrenics-based monolithic layers for thin layer chromatography coupled with matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometric detection

Monolithic 50 μm thin poly(4-methylstyrene-co-chloromethylstyrene-co-divinylbenzene) layers attached to 6.0 cm × 3.3 cm glass plates have been prepared, using a thermally initiated polymerization process. These layers had a well-defined porous structure with a globular morphology demonstrated with SEM images and exhibited superhydrophobic properties characterized with a water contact angle of 157°. They were then used for thin-layer chromatography of peptides and proteins fluorescently labeled with fluorescamine. The spots of individual separated compounds were visualized using UV light, and their identities were confirmed with a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. The presence of chloromethylstyrene units in the polymer enabled hypercrosslinking via a Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction, and led to monoliths with much larger surface areas, which were suitable for separations of small dye molecules.