Photodissociation Spectra Research Articles

Structure and Fluxionality of B13+ Probed by Infrared Photodissociation Spectroscopy.

We use cryogenic ion vibrational spectroscopy to characterize the structure and fluxionality of the magic number boron cluster B13+ . The infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectrum of the D2 -tagged all-11 B isotopologue of B13+ is reported in the spectral range from 435 to 1790 cm-1 and unambiguously assigned to a planar boron double wheel structure based on a comparison to simulated IR spectra of low energy isomers from density-functional-theory (DFT) computations. Born-Oppenheimer DFT molecular dynamics simulations show that B13+ exhibits internal quasi-rotation already at 100 K. Vibrational spectra derived from these simulations allow extracting the first spectroscopic evidence from the IRPD spectrum for the exceptional fluxionality of B13+ .

Visible photodissociation spectra of gaseous rhodamine ions: Effects of temperature and tagging

This paper reports on the effect of He, Ar, and N2 tagging on visible photodissociation (VisPD) spectra of Rhodamine 123 ions. We show that the effect of tagging on the determination of the 0–0 transition in the electronic spectra is negligible. In contrast to the photodissociation spectra of the bare ions, the tagging method provides resolved Franck-Condon envelopes. Ar and N2 tagging spectra revealed minor blue-shifts (∼ 0.5nm) for some maxima in the Franck-Condon envelope with respect to the He tagging spectrum. The N2 tagging VisPD spectrum was less resolved compared to He and Ar tagging spectra. Further, we have investigated the effect of temperature on photodissociation spectra of bare rhodamine ions. At room temperature, the absorption spectrum is dominated by the absorption of vibrationally excited ions. Vibrationally relaxed ions start to be dominantly sampled at about 150K. In average, three to four photons are required to induce photodissociation of the rhodamine ions and it is slightly wavelength dependent. We ascribe it to the fluorescence process.

High-cooling-efficiency cryogenic quadrupole ion trap and UV-UV hole burning spectroscopy of protonated tyrosine

The cooling efficiency of a cryogenic three-dimensional quadrupole ion trap (QIT) is drastically improved by using copper electrodes instead of conventional stainless-steel ones. The temperature of trapped ions (protonated tyrosine TyrH+) was estimated based on the ultraviolet (UV) photo-dissociation spectra. The UV spectrum of TryH+ shows almost no hot bands, and thus the high cooling efficiency of the copper ion trap was proven. The temperature was also estimated by simulating the observed band contour in the UV spectra, which is determined by the population in the rotationally excited levels. From the simulations, the temperature of TryH+ was estimated to be ∼13K, while that in the stainless-steel QIT was 45–50K. In addition, to demonstrate the advantage of the copper QIT, UV-UV hole burning (HB) spectra, i.e. conformation-selected UV spectra, were measured. It was confirmed that four different conformers, A∼D, coexist in the ultra-cold protonated tyrosine. By comparing with the calculated Franck-Condon spectra, their structural assignments were discussed, including the orientation of the OH group.

A study of the valence shell absolute photoabsorption, photoionisation and photodissociation cross sections and the photoionisation quantum efficiency of carbonyl sulphide

The absolute photoabsorption, photoionisation and photodissociation cross sections and the photoionisation quantum efficiency of carbonyl sulphide have been measured using a double ion chamber and synchrotron radiation in the energy range from the ionisation threshold to 24eV. In addition to the absorption bands associated with well established Rydberg series, some previously unassigned features have been tentatively attributed to an f-type Rydberg series converging onto the B̃2Σ+ state ionisation threshold. Structure appearing in the photodissociation spectrum has been correlated with that observed in earlier fluorescence yields for emission, due mainly to the CS photofragment, occurring between 160 and 300nm. The photoionisation quantum efficiency reaches a plateau value close to unity for energies above ∼16eV. The predissociation of Rydberg states into neutral fragments does not appear to affect the photoionisation quantum efficiency of carbonyl sulphide to the extent that is commonly observed in other small molecules. A sum rule analysis has been carried out by combining the present absolute photoabsorption measurements with similar data covering the remaining energy regions.

Use of Ultraviolet Photodissociation Coupled with Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry To Determine Structure and Sequence from Drift Time Selected Peptides and Proteins

We demonstrate the capabilities of a laser-coupled ion mobility mass spectrometer for analysis of peptide sequence and structure showing ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) spectra of mass and mobility selected ions. A Synapt G2-S mass spectrometer has been modified to allow photointeraction of ions post the mobility cell. For this work, we have employed a single wavelength laser, which irradiates at 266 nm. We present the unique capabilities of this instrument and demonstrate several key features. Irradiation of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), growth hormone releasing hexapeptide (GHRP-6), and TrpCage (sequence NLYIQWLKDGGPSSGRPPPS) yields extensive b- and y-type fragmentation as well as a- and c-type ions. In addition, we observe side chain losses, including the indole group from tryptophan, and immonium ions. For negatively charged ions, we show the advantage of using collision-induced dissociation (CID) post-UVPD: radical ions are produced following irradiation, and these fragment with higher efficiency. Further, we have incorporated ion mobility and subsequent drift time gating into the UVPD method allowing the separate analysis of m/z-coincident species, both conformers and multimers. To demonstrate, we selectively dissociate the singly charged dimer or doubly charged monomer of the peptide gramicidin A and conformers of the [M + 5H]5+ form of the peptide melittin. Each mobility selected form has a different "fingerprint" dissociation spectrum, both predominantly containing b and y fragments. Differences in the intensities of various loss channels between the two species were revealed. The smaller conformer of melittin has fewer cleavage sites along the peptide backbone than the larger conformer suggesting considerable structural differences. For gramicidin, a single laser shot UVPD discriminates between primary photodissociation and subsequent fragmentation of fragments. We also show how this modified instrument facilitates activated electron photodissociation. UVPD-IM-MS analysis serves both as a method for peptide sequencing for peptides of similar (or identical) m/z and a method for optical analysis of mobility separated species.

BerlinTrap: A new cryogenic 22-pole ion trap spectrometer

The design and first applications of a new tandem mass spectrometer (BerlinTrap) combining an electrospray ion source, a quadrupole mass spectrometer, a cryogenic 22-pole ion trap (4–300K), and an orthogonal reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer are described. The trapped ions are cooled by helium buffer gas cooling. The formation and solvation shell structure of weakly-bound HenH3O+ complexes and the electronic photodissociation spectrum of the protonated amino acid tyrosine are used to calibrate the setup for cooling, tagging, and spectroscopic capabilities. A vibrational temperature below 20K is inferred for protonated tyrosine. The electronic spectrum of isolated protonated lumichrome, the smallest protonated flavin, is recorded in the visible range and assigned to the most stable N5 isomer by comparison with quantum chemical calculations. These results demonstrate the suitability of the BerlinTrap apparatus for spectroscopy and reactivity studies of small and large (bio-)molecular ions and their clusters.

Conformation of Alkali Metal Ion-Benzo-12-Crown-4 Complexes Investigated by UV Photodissociation and UV-UV Hole-Burning Spectroscopy.

We measure UV photodissociation (UVPD) spectra of benzo-12-crown-4 (B12C4) complexes with alkali metal ions, M(+)·B12C4 (M = Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs), in the 36300-37600 cm(-1) region. Thanks to the cooling of ions to ∼10 K, all the M(+)·B12C4 complexes show sharp vibronic bands in this region. For UV-UV hole-burning (HB) spectroscopy, we first check if our experimental system works well by observing UV-UV HB spectra of the K(+) complex with benzo-18-crown-6 (B18C6), K(+)·B18C6. In the UV-UV HB spectra of the K(+)·B18C6 complex, gain signals are also observed; these are due to vibrationally hot K(+)·B18C6 complex produced by the UV excitation of cold K(+)·B18C6 complex. Then we apply UV-UV HB spectroscopy to the M(+)·B12C4 complexes, and only one conformer is found for each complex except for the Li(+) complex, which has two conformers. The vibronic structure around the origin band of the UVPD spectra is quite similar for all the complexes, indicating close resemblance of the complex structure. The most stable structures calculated for the M(+)·B12C4 (M = Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs) complexes also have a similar conformation among them, which coincides with the UVPD results. In these conformers the metal ions are too big to be included in the B12C4 cavity, even for the Li(+) ion. In solution, it was reported that 12-crown-4 (12C4) shows the preference of Na(+) ion among alkali metal ions. From the similarity of the structure for the M(+)·B12C4 complexes, it is suggested that the solvation of free metal ions, not of the M(+)·12C4 complexes, may lead to the selectivity of Na(+) ion for 12C4 in solution.

Structure of protonated tryptophan dimer in the gas phase investigated by IRPD spectroscopy and theoretical calculations.

In addition to proton affinity (PA), side chains may also have an effect on the structures of amino acid complex ions in the gas phase. A previous study showed that the most stable isomer of Pro2 H(+) favored a salt-bridged structure. Tryptophan has a PA close to that of proline, but a quite different side chain. Thus, it will be interesting to discover whether the salt-bridged or charge-solvated conformation is energetically more favorable for Trp2 H(+) in the gas phase. The infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectrum of Trp2 H(+) was obtained using a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer equipped with a tunable OPO laser. The non-covalent cluster ions were generated by electrospray ionization. Structural optimization and frequency calculation of the selected isomers were performed at the M062X/6-311++G(d,p) level. The experimental IRPD spectrum of Trp2 H(+) was reported in the region of 2700-3750cm(-1) . Theoretical calculations show that the most stable isomer has a charge-solvated structure. Its energy was found to be 9kcal/mol lower than that of the most stable salt-bridged isomer. The experimental spectrum is consistent with the predicted spectra of the most stable charge-solvated structures. Temperature effect on the stability of isomers was also evaluated and it was revealed that the contribution from salt-bridged isomers can be neglected at a temperature of 300K. Combining the method of IRPD spectroscopy with theoretical calculations, the structures of Trp2 H(+) were investigated. It is shown that the structures of Trp2 H(+) are dominated by charge-solvated forms. The results also indicate that the side chain may considerably affect the stability of the zwitterionic forms. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Gas phase structures and charge localization in small aluminum oxide anions: Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations.

We use cryogenic ion trap vibrational spectroscopy in combination with quantum chemical calculations to study the structure of mono- and dialuminum oxide anions. The infrared photodissociation spectra of D2-tagged AlO1-4 (-) and Al2O3-6 (-) are measured in the region from 400 to 1200 cm(-1). Structures are assigned based on a comparison to simulated harmonic and anharmonic IR spectra derived from electronic structure calculations. The monoaluminum anions contain an even number of electrons and exhibit an electronic closed-shell ground state. The Al2O3-6 (-) anions are oxygen-centered radicals. As a result of a delicate balance between localization and delocalization of the unpaired electron, only the BHLYP functional is able to qualitatively describe the observed IR spectra of all species with the exception of AlO3 (-). Terminal Al-O stretching modes are found between 1140 and 960 cm(-1). Superoxo and peroxo stretching modes are found at higher (1120-1010 cm(-1)) and lower energies (850-570 cm(-1)), respectively. Four modes in-between 910 and 530 cm(-1) represent the IR fingerprint of the common structural motif of dialuminum oxide anions, an asymmetric four-member Al-(O)2-Al ring.

Gas phase vibrational spectroscopy of cold (TiO2)n(-) (n = 3-8) clusters.

We report infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectra for the D2-tagged titanium oxide cluster anions (TiO2)n(-) with n = 3-8 in the spectral region from 450 to 1200 cm(-1). The IRPD spectra are interpreted with the aid of harmonic spectra from BP86/6-311+G* density functional theory calculations of energetically low-lying isomers. We conclusively assign the IRPD spectra of the n = 3 and n = 6 clusters to global minimum energy structures with Cs and C2 symmetry, respectively. The vibrational spectra of the n = 4 and n = 7 clusters can be attributed to contributions of at most two low-lying structures. While our calculations indicate that the n = 5 and n = 8 clusters have many more low-lying isomers than the other clusters, the dominant contributions to their spectra can be assigned to the lowest energy structures. Through comparison between the calculated and experimental spectra, we can draw conclusions about the size-dependent evolution of the properties of (TiO2)n(-) clusters, and on their potential utility as model systems for catalysis on a bulk TiO2 surface.

Infrared Photodissociation Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory Study of Carbon Suboxide Complexes [M(CO)4(C3O2)](+) (M = Fe, Co, Ni).

Infrared photodissociation spectra are measured for mass-selected cation complexes with a chemical formula [MC7O6](+) (M = Fe, Co, Ni) formed via pulsed laser evaporation of metal target in expansions of helium gas seeded by CO. The geometries of the complexes are determined by comparison of the experimental spectra with the simulated spectra from density functional calculations. All of these complexes are identified to have [M(CO)4(C3O2)](+) structures involving a carbon suboxide ligand, which binds the metal center in an η(1) fashion. The antisymmetric CO stretching vibration of C3O2 is slightly red-shifted upon coordination. The donor-acceptor bonding interactions between C3O2 and the metal centers are analyzed using the EDA-NOCV method. The results show that M ← C3O2 σ donation is stronger than the M → C3O2 π back-donation in these cation complexes.

Rearrangements of a Water Molecule in Both Directions between Two Hydrogen-Bonding Sites of 5-Hydroxyindole Cation: Experimental Determination of the Energy Threshold for the Rearrangement.

Rearrangements of a water molecule in both directions between two hydrogen-bonding (H-bonding) sites of the 5-hydroxyindole (5HI) cation was investigated in the gas phase. IR-dip spectra of jet-cooled 5HI-(H2O)1 revealed that two structural isomers, 5HI(OH)-(H2O)1 and 5HI(NH)-(H2O)1, in which a water molecule is bound to either the OH group or the NH group of 5HI, were formed in the S0 state. The IR photodissociation spectrum of [5HI-(H2O)1](+) generated by two-color resonant two-photon ionization (2C-R2PI) via the S1-S0 origin of 5HI(NH)-(H2O)1 clearly showed that [5HI(OH)-(H2O)1](+) and [5HI(NH)-(H2O)1](+) coexist in the D0 state. The appearance of [5HI(OH)-(H2O)1](+) after R2PI via the S1-S0 origin of 5HI(NH)-(H2O)1 is explained by isomerization of [5HI(NH)-(H2O)1](+) to [5HI(OH)-(H2O)1](+), which corresponds to the rearrangement of the water. In addition, isomerization in the opposite direction was also observed when [5HI-(H2O)1](+) was generated via the S1-S0 origin of 5HI(OH)-(H2O)1. The upper limit of the energy threshold for the rearrangement of the water in [5HI(NH)-(H2O)1](+) was experimentally determined to be 2127 ± 30 cm(-1) from the adiabatic ionization energy of 5HI(NH)-(H2O)1. Above the energy threshold, the water molecule in [5HI-(H2O)1](+) may fluctuate between the two preferential H-bonding sites of 5HI(+).

Photodissociation spectrum and structure of Au4+·H2O clusters

The gold–water interaction is essential for a fundamental understanding of the coordination chemistry of gold as well as applied materials sciences. Here isolated Au4+ and Au4+·H2O clusters are characterized with electronic photodissociation spectroscopy and long-range corrected time-dependent density functional theory. Structural information of these clusters is obtained by comparing their photodissociation spectra with the optical absorption spectra calculated for low-energy isomers, which are found with a genetic algorithm coupled to electronic structure methods. For Au4+, the most stable structure is found to be a D2h rhomboid, while a remarkable contribution of the higher-energy Y-shaped C2v isomer is also observed in the experimental spectrum. For Au4+·H2O, the most stable Cs (2A′) structure is formed through an AuO bond of H2O to the Au4+ (D2h) structure with a binding energy of 1.15eV. The Au4+·H2O structure exhibits Cs instead of C2v symmetry, which suggests substantial covalent contributions to the bonding between H2O and Au4+. The natural bond orbital charge analysis shows that a net positive charge of about 0.1e is transferred to H2O. The long-range corrected CAM-B3LYP* (ω=0.33) functional has proven reliable in predicting optical spectra of Au4+ and Au4+·H2O clusters close to experimental observation.

Infrared spectroscopic studies on the cluster size dependence of charge carrier structure in nitrous oxide cluster anions.

We report infrared photodissociation spectra of nitrous oxide cluster anions of the form (N2O)(n)O(-) (n = 1-12) and (N2O)n(-) (n = 7-15) in the region 800-1600 cm(-1). The charge carriers in these ions are NNO2(-) and O(-) for (N2O)(n)O(-) clusters with a solvation induced core ion switch, and N2O(-) for (N2O)n(-) clusters. The N-N and N-O stretching vibrations of N2O(-) (solvated by N2O) are reported for the first time, and they are found at (1595 ± 3) cm(-1) and (894 ± 5) cm(-1), respectively. We interpret our infrared spectra by comparison with the existing photoelectron spectroscopy data and with computational data in the framework of density functional theory.

Structure of Pro 4 H + investigated by infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectroscopy and theoretical calculations

Abstract Combining with electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry, infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectroscopy is a powerful method to study structures of cluster ions in the gas phase. In this paper, infrared photodissociation spectrum of Pro 4 H + in the range of 2700–3600 cm −1 was obtained experimentally. Both theoretically predicted spectra of the two most stable isomers of Pro4-1 and Pro4-2 obtained at the level of M062X/6-31 + G(d, p) are in good consistent with the experimental results. The two isomers have similar structures and close energies. Both of them only consist of zwitterionic units, indicating the strong salt-bridged interactions inside the clusters. And the calculated collision cross section (ccs) of Pro4-1 is found to be very close to the experimental result previously reported.

Spectroscopic Characterization and Reactivity of Triplet and Quintet Iron(IV) Oxo Complexes in the Gas Phase.

Closely structurally related triplet and quintet iron(IV) oxo complexes with a tetradentate aminopyridine ligand were generated in the gas phase, spectroscopically characterized, and their reactivities in hydrogen‐transfer and oxygen‐transfer reactions were compared. The spin states were unambiguously assigned based on helium tagging infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectra of the mass‐selected iron complexes. It is shown that the stretching vibrations of the nitrate counterion can be used as a spectral marker of the central iron spin state.

Spectroscopic Characterization and Reactivity of Triplet and Quintet Iron(IV) Oxo Complexes in the Gas Phase

AbstractClosely structurally related triplet and quintet iron(IV) oxo complexes with a tetradentate aminopyridine ligand were generated in the gas phase, spectroscopically characterized, and their reactivities in hydrogen‐transfer and oxygen‐transfer reactions were compared. The spin states were unambiguously assigned based on helium tagging infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectra of the mass‐selected iron complexes. It is shown that the stretching vibrations of the nitrate counterion can be used as a spectral marker of the central iron spin state.

Vibrational Spectra and Theoretical Calculations of cis- and trans-3-Fluoro-N-methylaniline in the Neutral (S(0)) and Cationic (D(0)) Ground States.

The mass-analyzed threshold ionization spectra of jet-cooled cis- and trans-3-fluoro-N-methylaniline (3FNMA) were recorded by ionizing via the vibrationless 0(0) and various vibrational levels of the S1 state. The adiabatic ionization energies of cis- and trans-3FNMA are determined to be 61,742 ± 5 and 61,602 ± 5 cm(-1), respectively. In the 0-1800 cm(-1) region, most of the observed vibrations in the D0 state result from the in-plane ring deformation and substituent-sensitive modes. For the high-frequency vibration region, the infrared-ultraviolet double-resonance and autoionization-detected infrared spectroscopies were applied to investigate the N-H and C-H stretching vibrations of bare 3FNMA in the S0 and D0 states. The C-H stretching vibrational information, which we failed to obtain for the bare 3FNMA cation, is complemented by recording the infrared-photodissociation spectra of its Ar cluster cation. It is revealed that a red-shifted frequency and an enhanced intensity are observed for the N-H stretch, while blue-shifted frequencies and greatly decreased intensities are found for both aromatic and the methyl C-H stretches. The blue shift of the C-H stretches is first explained by the balance of two factors, namely, the hyperconjugative interaction and the rehybridization effect. Analysis of the vibrational frequencies reveals a correlation between the relative stability of two rotamers in different electronic states and the relative rigidity of aromatic ring, indicating a mechanism of the long-range interactions "through bond" between the substituents. The density functional theory calculations can well reproduce the vibrational spectra in both S0 and D0 states. With the experimental and theoretical data, the substitution and conformation effects on the properties of 3FNMA in the S0 and D0 states, including the molecular structures, the reactive sites of electrophilic attack, and the vibrational behaviors, were discussed in detail.

A dual cryogenic ion trap spectrometer for the formation and characterization of solvated ionic clusters.

A new experimental approach is presented in which two separate cryogenic ion traps are used to reproducibly form weakly bound solvent clusters around electrosprayed ions and messenger-tag them for single-photon infrared photodissociation spectroscopy. This approach thus enables the vibrational characterization of ionic clusters comprised of a solvent network around large and non-volatile ions. We demonstrate the capabilities of the instrument by clustering water, methanol, and acetone around a protonated glycylglycine peptide. For water, cluster sizes with greater than twenty solvent molecules around a single ion are readily formed. We further demonstrate that similar water clusters can be formed around ions having a shielded charge center or those that do not readily form hydrogen bonds. Finally, infrared photodissociation spectra of D2-tagged GlyGlyH(+)⋅(H2O)1-4 are presented. They display well-resolved spectral features and comparisons with calculations reveal detailed information on the solvation structures of this prototypical peptide.

UV and IR Spectroscopy of Cold H2O(+)-Benzo-Crown Ether Complexes.

The H2O(+) radical ion, produced in an electrospray ion source via charge transfer from Eu(3+), is encapsulated in benzo-15-crown-5 (B15C5) or benzo-18-crown-6 (B18C6). We measure UV photodissociation (UVPD) spectra of the (H2O·B15C5)(+) and (H2O·B18C6)(+) complexes in a cold, 22-pole ion trap. These complexes show sharp vibronic bands in the 35 700-37 600 cm(-1) region, similar to the case of neutral B15C5 or B18C6. These results indicate that the positive charge in the complexes is localized on H2O, giving the forms H2O(+)·B15C5 and H2O(+)·B18C6, in spite of the fact that the ionization energy of B15C5 and B18C6 is lower than that of H2O. The formation of the H2O(+) complexes and the suppression of the H3O(+) production through the reaction of H2O(+) and H2O can be attributed to the encapsulation of hydrated Eu(3+) clusters by B15C5 and B18C6. On the contrary, the main fragment ions subsequent to the UV excitation of these complexes are B15C5(+) and B18C6(+) radical ions; the charge transfer occurs from H2O(+) to B15C5 and B18C6 after the UV excitation. The position of the band origin for the H2O(+)·B18C6 complex (36323 cm(-1)) is almost the same as that for Rb(+)·B18C6 (36315 cm(-1)); the strength of the intermolecular interaction of H2O(+) with B18C6 is similar to that of Rb(+). The spectral features of the H2O(+)·B15C5 complex also resemble those of the Rb(+)·B15C5 ion. We measure IR-UV spectra of these complexes in the CH and OH stretching region. Four conformers are found for the H2O(+)·B15C5 complex, but there is one dominant form for the H2O(+)·B18C6 ion. This study demonstrates the production of radical ions by charge transfer from multivalent metal ions, their encapsulation by host molecules, and separate detection of their conformers by cold UV spectroscopy in the gas phase.