日本ゼオライト学会　刊行物 Publication of Japan Zeolite Association

Organosilica materials prepared by hydrolysis and polycondensation of bridged organosilane precursors exhibit various functions depending on the characteristics of organic groups that are covalently fixed at high density in the framework. In particular, nanoporous organosilicas are promising for developing new applications by utilizing not only the physical and chemical properties of the organosilica framework, but also the interaction with guest molecules incorporated into the porous structure. As a novel application of nanoporous organosilica materials, we have recently found their significant behavior as an analytical substrate for laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS). Generation of molecular ions can be achieved simply by UV laser irradiation of analytes supported on UV-absorbing nanoporous organosilica substrates; therefore, it is expected to establish an analysis method that is simpler than the matrix-assisted LDI (MALDI) method generally used for mass spectrometry, and that can avoid matrix-derived undesired events. This paper introduces the synthesis of nanoporous organosilica thin films and fine particles by applying unique approaches such as nanoimprinting and transesterification, and the results of LDI-MS measurements using the nanostructured substrates, and describes the characteristics of organosilicas as the LDI-assisting substrate.