Photoelectron Spectra and Molecular Properties: Real-Time Gas Analysis in Flow Systems

For the analysis and optimization of numerous gas phase reactions in flow-systems, photoelectron spectroscopy has proven most valuable. This real-time measuring probe allows one to determine—with millimol quantities and within a few hours—the temperatures for different decomposition channels. Simultaneously, main products are characterized and, if need be, their yield can be improved. By careful performance of the experiment, short-lived and/or reactive molecules such as P₂, thioformaldehyde or silabenzene can be detected. PE-spectroscopic gas analysis is of particular advantage in the search for heterogeneous catalysts; they can be tested within a day using gas mixtures of varying composition over the temperature range from 300 K to 1300 K. In addition, PE-spectrometers are well-suited for on-line connection to computers; portable instruments for laboratory use are under development.     

Hartree-Fock calculations and photoelectron spectra of SSO and NSF

Results from ab initio Hartree-Fock calculations on the ground states of SSO and NSF are reported. The calculations employ large basis sets of Gaussian functions of essentially double zeta quality. The photoelectron spectra of the bent triatomic molecules with 18 valence electrons, i.e. SSO, NSF, O₃, SO₂, NSCl are compared. Further experimental details of the photoelectron spectrum of SSO are presented and an assignment of the observed ionic states of SSO⊕ is attempted. The calculated dissociation energies, dipole moments and the population analyses are given. The correlation effect is qualitatively discussed in connection with the applicability of Koopmans' theorem for the bent tri-atomic molecules.     

Loss of Internal Backbone Carbonyls: Additional Evidence for Sequence-Scrambling in Collision-Induced Dissociation of y-Type Ions

It is shown that y-type ions, after losing C-terminal H₂O or NH₃, can lose an internal backbone carbonyl (CO) from different peptide positions and yield structurally different product fragment ions upon collision-induced dissociation (CID). Such CO losses from internal peptide backbones of y-fragment ions are not unique to a single peptide and were observed in four of five model peptides studied herein. Experimental details on examples of CO losses from y-type fragment ions for an isotopically labeled AAAAHAA-NH₂ heptapeptide and des-acetylated-α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (dα-MSH) (SYSMEHFRWGKPV-NH₂) are reported. Results from isotope labeling, tandem mass spectrometry (MSⁿ), and ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) confirm that CO losses from different amino acids of m/z-isolated y-type ions yield structurally different ions. It is shown that losses of internal backbone carbonyls (as CID products of m/z-isolated y-type ions) are among intermediate steps towards formation of rearranged or permutated product fragment ions. Possible mechanisms for generation of the observed sequence-scrambled a-“like” ions, as intermediates in sequence-scrambling pathways of y-type ions, are proposed and discussed. ?      

Automated Deconvolution of Overlapped Ion Mobility Profiles

Presence of unresolved ion mobility (IM) profiles limits the efficient utilization of IM mass spectrometry (IM-MS) systems for isomer differentiation. Here, we introduce an automated ion mobility deconvolution (AIMD) computer software for streamlined deconvolution of overlapped IM-MS profiles. AIMD is based on a previously reported post-IM/collision-induced dissociation (CID) deconvolution approach [J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 23, 1873 (2012)] and, unlike the previously reported manual approach, it does not require resampling of post-IM/CID data. A novel data preprocessing approach is utilized to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the deconvolution process. Results from AIMD analysis of overlapped IM profiles of data from (1) Waters Synapt G1 for a binary mixture of isomeric peptides (amino acid sequences: GRGDS and SDGRG) and (2) Waters Synapt G2-S for a binary mixture of isomeric trisaccharides (raffinose and isomaltotriose) are presented. Graphical Abstract

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