Fourier Transform Microwave Techniques Research Articles

Impact of the Acetyl Group on Cysteine: A Study of N-Acetyl-Cysteine through Rotational Spectroscopy.

Herein, we report a spectroscopic study of N-acetyl-L-cysteine, an important antioxidant drug, using Fourier-transform microwave techniques and in isolated conditions. Two conformers are observed, where most stable structure adopts a cis disposition, and the second conformer has a lower abundance and adopts a trans disposition. The rotational constants and the barriers to methyl internal rotation are determined for each conformer, allowing a precise conformation identification. The results show that the cis form adopts an identical structure in the crystal, solution, and gas phases. Additionally, the structures are contrasted against those of cysteine.

Revealing the Structure of 6-Aminopenillanic Acid: The Active Nucleus of Penicillins.

6-Aminopenicillanic acid is a penicillanic acid compound and is the active nucleus common to all penicillins. Using laser ablation techniques, we transformed the solid into the gas phase and characterized its conformational panorama by combining supersonic expansions and Fourier transform microwave techniques. Five conformers were determined, adopting different spatial configurations. Among them, the axial and equatorial forms, which are biologically relevant, have been observed. The structural similarity to d-Ala-d-Ala and the detection of both axial and equatorial forms could explain its potential as a penicillin core and its capability as an antibiotic.

The chirped pulse, Fourier transform microwave spectrum of 1-chloromethyl-1-fluorosilacyclopentane

The microwave spectrum of 1-chloromethyl-1-fluorosilacyclopentane has been recorded for the first time using the chirped pulse, Fourier transform microwave technique. Quantum chemical calculations show the two lowest energy conformers as being a twist-trans and a gauche form with the gauche form previously being shown as having two separate conformations, a gauche+ (lower in energy) and gauche- (higher in energy) form. Analysis of the spectrum provided the observation of the twist-trans conformer only, with 253 and 85 transitions being assigned to the 35Cl and 37Cl isotopologues, respectively. R-branch, a- and b-type transitions were observed. The spectrum was fit to a Watson S-reduced Hamiltonian and consisted of rotational constants, quartic centrifugal distortion constants, and nuclear quadrupole coupling constants, including the determination of the off-diagonal nuclear quadrupole coupling constant, χab. Interpretation of the structure was provided using second moments and is found to have a similar ring structure to other known silacyclopentanes. Analysis of the χzz has been carried out and compared to other similar molecules. An investigation of the known quantum chemical energies of the gauche conformer reveals that the reported B3LYP energies do not align with the observed microwave results.

Shape of Testosterone.

We have successfully characterized the structure of testosterone, one of the essential steroids, through high-resolution rotational spectroscopy. A single conformer has been detected, and a total of 404 transitions have been fitted, allowing a precise determination of the rotational constants. It allowed us to unravel that the isolated structure of testosterone adopts an extended disposition. The results obtained in this work highlight how using laser ablation techniques in combination with Fourier transform microwave techniques allow the study of large biomolecules or common pharmaceuticals. It is an important step toward studying relevant biomolecules and developing new analytical techniques with unprecedented sensitivity and resolution.

The Role of Non‐Covalent Interactions on Cluster Formation: Pentamer, Hexamers and Heptamer of Difluoromethane

AbstractThe role of non‐covalent interactions (NCIs) has broadened with the inclusion of new types of interactions and aplethoraof weak donor/acceptor partners. This work illustrates the potential of chirped‐pulse Fourier transform microwave technique, which has revolutionized the field of rotational spectroscopy. In particular, it has been exploited to reveal the role of NCIs’ in the molecular self‐aggregation of difluoromethane where a pentamer, two hexamers and a heptamer were detected. The development of a new automated assignment program and a sophisticated computational screening protocol was essential for identifying the homoclusters in conditions of spectral congestion. The major role of dispersion forces leads to less directional interactions and more distorted structures than those found in polar clusters, although a detailed analysis demonstrates that the dominant interaction energy is the pairwise interaction. The tetramer cluster is identified as a structural unit in larger clusters, representing the maximum expression of bond between dimers.

The Role of Non-Covalent Interactions on Cluster Formation: Pentamer, Hexamers and Heptamer of Difluoromethane.

The role of non‐covalent interactions (NCIs) has broadened with the inclusion of new types of interactions and a plethora of weak donor/acceptor partners. This work illustrates the potential of chirped‐pulse Fourier transform microwave technique, which has revolutionized the field of rotational spectroscopy. In particular, it has been exploited to reveal the role of NCIs’ in the molecular self‐aggregation of difluoromethane where a pentamer, two hexamers and a heptamer were detected. The development of a new automated assignment program and a sophisticated computational screening protocol was essential for identifying the homoclusters in conditions of spectral congestion. The major role of dispersion forces leads to less directional interactions and more distorted structures than those found in polar clusters, although a detailed analysis demonstrates that the dominant interaction energy is the pairwise interaction. The tetramer cluster is identified as a structural unit in larger clusters, representing the maximum expression of bond between dimers.

Gas-Phase Conformational Map of the Amino Acid Isovaline.

Four conformers of the non-proteinogenic α-amino acid isovaline, vaporized by laser ablation, are characterized by Fourier-transform microwave techniques in a supersonic expansion. The comparison between the experimental rotational and 14 N nuclear quadrupole coupling constants and the ab initio calculated ones provides conclusive evidence for the identification of the conformers. The most stable species is stabilized by an N-H⋅⋅⋅O =C intramolecular hydrogen bond and a cis-COOH interaction, whereas the higher-energy conformers exhibit an N⋅⋅⋅H-O intramolecular hydrogen bond and trans-COOH, as in other aliphatic amino acids. The spectroscopic data herein reported can be used for the astrophysical purpose in a possible detection of isovaline in space.

Unveiling the Neutral Forms of Glutamine

AbstractNeutral glutamine has been evaporated by laser ablation of its solid sample to seed a rare gas carrier prior to a supersonic expansion and proved by Fourier transform microwave techniques. We report on three distinct neutral conformers that show a singular non‐interacting and flexible amide sidechain in contrast with the other proteinogenic aliphatic amino acids. It could explain the essential biological role of glutamine as a nitrogen source, and its unique ability to form a variety of hydrogen bonds with peptide backbones. Common computational methods fail to predict the delicate balance of intramolecular interactions controlling the geometry of the most stable conformer. The spectroscopic data here reported can be used to benchmark novel computational methods in quantum chemistry.

Unveiling the Neutral Forms of Glutamine.

Neutral glutamine has been evaporated by laser ablation of its solid sample to seed a rare gas carrier prior to a supersonic expansion and proved by Fourier transform microwave techniques. We report on three distinct neutral conformers that show a singular non-interacting and flexible amide sidechain in contrast with the other proteinogenic aliphatic amino acids. It could explain the essential biological role of glutamine as a nitrogen source, and its unique ability to form a variety of hydrogen bonds with peptide backbones. Common computational methods fail to predict the delicate balance of intramolecular interactions controlling the geometry of the most stable conformer. The spectroscopic data here reported can be used to benchmark novel computational methods in quantum chemistry.

The Shape of the Archetypical Oxocarbon Squaric Acid and Its Water Clusters

Herein, a full structural description is presented for the archetypical supramolecular synthone squaric acid (3,4-dihydroxy-3-cyclobutene-1,2-dione), placed in the gas phase by laser ablation and characterized by chirped pulse Fourier transform microwave technique. Free from natural environmental disturbances, two different anti-anti and syn-anti planar forms and the corresponding water clusters have been revealed in a supersonic expansion. The substitution structure of the most stable anti-anti conformer has also been extracted from the analysis of the rotational spectra of the 13 C and 18 O isotopic species in their natural abundance. The interplay between inter- and intramolecular interactions involving hydroxy and carbonyl groups has been analyzed by QTAIM (quantum theory of atoms in molecules) methods for squaric acid and its water clusters to understand their chemical behavior and further rationalize their role in the stabilization of these molecular systems.

Rotational Spectrum of Saccharin: Structure and Sweetness.

We present the first high-resolution rotational study of the artificial sweetener saccharin. By combining laser ablation (LA), narrow- and broadband Fourier transform microwave techniques (FTMW), and supersonic expansions, we have transferred the solid of saccharin (mp 229 °C) to a supersonic jet and captured its rotational spectrum. The rotational constants were accurately determined by fitting more than 60 rotational transitions for the parent and 34S isotopic species in the 6.4-10.4 GHz frequency range. Experiment and complementary quantum-chemical calculations provide accurate geometrical parameters for saccharin, the first artificial sweetener investigated by high-resolution microwave spectroscopy. The detailed structural information extracted from the rotational and 14N nuclear quadrupole coupling constants provided useful data in the context of the old theories of sweetness.

Van der Waals interaction between perhalogenated ethylene and rare gas: A rotational study of chlorotrifluorethylene-argon

The rotational spectra of two isotopologues have been recorded and interpreted for the van der Waals complex chlorotrifluoroethylene-argon, by using pulsed jet Fourier transform microwave technique. Argon locates out of the ethylene plane, in the FCCF cavity of chlorotrifluoroethylene. The preference of the CFCl side over CF2 can be attributed to the presence of "π-hole" over the double bond in chlorotrifluoroethylene. Non-covalent interaction analysis indicated that the van der Waals interaction occurs between argon and two sites of chlorotrifluoroethylene (the π-system and the F atom of the CFCl top). The steric effect between Ar and the C-Cl bond repulses the Ar atom toward the C-F side.

Inversion of Bicyclic Decanes: Rotational Spectra of the Trans and Double Cis Conformations of 2‐Decalone

The conformational landscape of the bicyclic molecule 2-decalone has been studied in a jet-cooled expansion by using rotational spectroscopy. The investigation covered the frequency region 7-19 GHz using broadband fast-passage IMPACT Fourier-transform microwave techniques. The introduction of the asymmetric carbonyl substituent in the double-chair decalin skeleton originates two distinct inverting conformers with cis ring junction, which were independently identified and characterized in the gas phase. Additionally, a single trans conformer was detected, as expected for the non-inverting equatorial ring junction. Accurate rotational parameters and quartic centrifugal distortion constants have been determined for the three observed species. A population estimation is given for the observed conformations based on relative intensities. Supporting ab initio calculations up to MP2/cc-pVTZ complement the experimental work.

Rotational Spectroscopy Probes Water Flipping by Full Fluorination of Benzene.

The topology of the interaction of water with benzene changes drastically upon full H→F substitution on the aromatic ring: the weak O-H⋅⋅⋅π hydrogen bond is replaced by a O⋅⋅⋅π linkage, of about the same strength. Hexafluorobenzene-water appears to be the prototype system to investigate this kind of weak bond. The pulsed Fourier transform microwave technique has been used for the detection of the rotational spectra of the normal species and five isotopologues which unambiguously led to the identification of the geometry. Quantum mechanical calculations have been performed to interpret the experimental evidence.

Rotational Spectroscopy Probes Water Flipping by Full Fluorination of Benzene

AbstractThe topology of the interaction of water with benzene changes drastically upon full H→F substitution on the aromatic ring: the weak O−H⋅⋅⋅π hydrogen bond is replaced by a O⋅⋅⋅π linkage, of about the same strength. Hexafluorobenzene–water appears to be the prototype system to investigate this kind of weak bond. The pulsed Fourier transform microwave technique has been used for the detection of the rotational spectra of the normal species and five isotopologues which unambiguously led to the identification of the geometry. Quantum mechanical calculations have been performed to interpret the experimental evidence.

Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonding in 2-Fluoropyridine-Water

The hydration of 2-fluoropyridine with one water molecule has been studied with a pulsed jet Fourier transform microwave technique. The rotational spectra of five isotopologues of the 1:1 complex have revealed the formation of a single most stable isomer. The observed cluster is characterized by an O−H⋅⋅⋅N hydrogen bond and a C−H⋅⋅⋅O weak hydrogen bond, where water is coplanar to the aromatic ring and acts in a double role of proton donor and proton acceptor.

The microwave spectra and molecular structures of 2-chloro-1,1-difluoroethylene and its complex with the argon atom

The microwave spectra of six isotopologues each of 2-chloro-1,1-difluoroethylene and its argon complex are obtained in the 5.6–20.5GHz region using a combination of broadband chirped pulse and Balle–Flygare cavity Fourier transform microwave techniques. The structure of the halogen substituted ethylene has been determined using a combination of theory and experiment. Argon is found to form a nonplanar complex with this haloethylene, locating in the ClCCF cavity, which maximizes its interactions with the heavy atoms in the ethylene subunit. A combined analysis of the chlorine quadrupole coupling constants of the monomer and of the complex allows the sign of the only nonzero off-diagonal component of the quadrupole coupling tensor for the monomer to be determined; thus, the complete tensor for the monomer has been derived.

The shape of D-glucosamine.

The bioactive amino monosaccharide D-glucosamine has been generated in the gas phase via laser ablation of D-glucosamine hydrochloride. Three cyclic α-(4)C1 pyranose forms have been identified using Fourier transform microwave techniques. Stereoelectronic hyperconjugative forces - essentially linked with the anomeric or gauche effect - and cooperative OH···O, OH···N and NH···O chains, extended along the entire molecule, are found to be the main factors driving the conformational behavior. The orientation of the NH2 group within each conformer has been determined by the values of the nuclear quadrupole coupling constants. The results have been compared with those recently obtained for the archetypical D-glucose.

Rotational Study of cis- and trans-Acrylic Acid–Trifluoroacetic Acid

The rotational spectra of the normal and deuterated species of the acrylic acid-trifluoroacetic acid complex have been assigned for both cis and trans conformations with the pulsed jet Fourier transform microwave technique. Relative intensity measurements suggest that the cis species is more stable than the trans one, in agreement with the ab initio results. The deuteration of the carboxylic groups generates an increase of the distance between the two moieties of the complex (Ubbelohde effect) and prevents the possibility of locating the OH hydrogen atoms. The changes of the Paa planar moment of inertia upon OH → OD substitution allowed for a quantitative estimate of the Ubbelohde effect.

Rotational Spectrum and Internal Dynamics of Methylpyruvate

The rotational spectra of five isotopologues (normal and all monosubstituted (13)C species) of methylpyruvate have been measured with the pulsed jet Fourier transform microwave technique. Rotational transitions are split into quintets due to the internal rotations of the two methyl groups. The corresponding barriers to internal rotation have been determined to be V(3)(H(3)C-O) = 4.883(8) kJ mol(-1) and V(3)(H(3)C-C) = 4.657(8) kJ mol(-1), respectively. Information on the skeletal heavy atom structure has been obtained from the 15 available rotational constants.