One-pot synthesis of a new antifungal polymerisable monomer and its characterisation by coordination-ion spray mass spectrometry

We have investigated the synthesis of a new antifungal agent with a polymerisable moiety for the prevention of denture stomatisis. Nystatin (antifungal polyene) is modified in one step by reaction with isocyanatoethylmethacrylate to afford a new polymerisable antifungal agent in good yield (90%). In order to prove the monografting of the acrylate derivative and to localise the new group in the skeleton of the molecule, a rapid and efficient analytical method involving electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) was developed for the study. In view of the structures of such antifungal agents, their complexation with metal cations was investigated by Coordination‐Ion Spray Mass Spectrometry (CIS‐MS). This mass spectrometry study covers two aspects: improving the MS signal to overcome the low ionisation efficiency in ESI‐MS and exploring the complexation behaviour of the induced structure to optimise the antifungal properties. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.