Formation of negative ions via resonant low-energy electron capture by cysteine and cystine methyl esters

Abstract

The processes of resonance low-energy free electron attachment to methyl esters of some sulfur-containing amino acids were studied. The long-lived molecular negative ions of cystine dimethyl ester formed in the valence state via the Feshbach nuclear excited resonance mechanism were detected by mass spectrometry. The reactions of disulfide bond dissociation were identified in an electron energy range of 0—1 eV. They can be considered as model reactions regarding processes of peptide decomposition due to the resonance interaction with low-energy electrons. Predissociation of short-lived molecular ions of cysteine methyl ester formed by capture of electrons with energies of ~1.6 eV is accompanied by the intra-ionic transfer of negative charge from the carbonyl group to the sulfur atom leading to the elimination from the latter of hydrogen atom.