Patent ID: 8323983

Claim:
A method for analyzing intact ions of undigested, unfragmented supramolecular target-ligand-complexes using mass spectrometry comprising the steps of: a) contacting a non-covalently bonded, supramolecular target-ligand-complex with a crosslinking reagent to form a reaction mixture comprising a covalently stabilized supramolecular target-ligand-complex, b) mixing the reaction mixture comprising a covalently stabilized supramolecular target-ligand-complex, without separating, with a matrix solution to obtain a sample/matrix mixture, and c) analyzing the intact ions from the undigested, unfragmented covalently stabilized supramolecular target-ligand-complex in said sample/matrix mixture by MALDI mass spectrometry for high mass determination allowing intact ionization, detection and mass determination of molecules exceeding 300 kDa.