Mass spectometry of aralkyl compounds with a functional group—VI1: Mass spectra of 1-phenylethyanol-1, 2-phenylethanol-1 and 1-phenylpropanol-2

Mass spectra of 1-phenylethanol-1 and its analogues, specifically deuterated in the aliphatic chain, suggest that the [M? CH₃]⁺ ion is represented partly by an α-hydroxybenzyl fragment. Moreover, the molecular ion loses successively—after scrambling of all hydrogen atoms, except those of CH₃? a hydrogen atom and C₆H₆, generation the CH₃CO⁺ ion. Diffuse peaks, found in the spectra of of 2-phenylethanol-1 and its analogues, specifically deuterated in the aliphatic chain and in the phenyl ring, show that the molecular ion loses C₂H₄O, possibly via a four-center mechanism, after an exchange of aromatic and hydroxylic hydrogens. Mass spectra of 1-phenylpropanol-2 and its analogues, specifically, deuterated in the aliphatic chain, demonstrate that in the molecular ion exclusively the hydroxyl hydrogen atom is transferred to one of the ortho-positions of the phenyl ring via a McLafferty rearrangement, generating the [M ? C₂H₄O]⁺ ion. Furtherore, an eight-membered ring structure is proposed for the [M ? CH₃]⁺ ion to explain the loss of H₂O and C₂H₂O from this ion after an extensive scrambling of hydrogen atoms.     

Mechanisms of repeller-induced effects in thermospray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

The application of a high potential at the repeller electrode, positioned opposite to the sampling cone in order to increase the sampling efficiency, can induce fragmentation in thermospray mass Spectrometry. Until now, this fragmentation has been attributed to collision-induced dissociation. As a result of studies on the changes in the reagent gas composition in the thermospray buffer ionization mode as a function of the repeller potential in the positive-ion mode, it appears that three different processes are occurring. At low repeller potentials, the thermospray mass spectra of the eluent are determined by the proton affinities and the concentrations of the various solvent constituents, and the stabilities of the formed cluster ions under the ion source conditions. With an increase in the repeller potential, collision-induced dissociation of the background ions starts to occur. When the kinetic energy of the ions and cluster ions becomes high enough, endothermic proton transfer and solvent-switching reaction pathways are opened. For the relatively volatile analytes studied, e.g. aniline, acetophenone, benzaldehyde and benzoic acid, similar effects are observed.     

Convergent synthesis of noncovalent metallodendrimers containing hydrophobic dendrons at the periphery.

The noncovalent synthesis of "layer-block" metallodendrimers containing hydrophobic shells of covalent dendritic wedges at the periphery is described. Starting from first- and second-generation Fréchet wedges having phosphines at their focal point, convergent dendritic growth yields third- and fourth-generation metallodendrimers in which the coordination of nitriles, pyridines, and phosphines to SCS Pd(II) pincers is used as the assembly motif. In this convergent growth, the number of terminal hydrophobic phosphine wedges increases with generation. The solubility of the dendritic structures in apolar organic solvents such as chloroform and dichloromethane increases accordingly, in contrast to previously reported metallodendrimers. All dendritic structures were characterized by (1)H and (31)P NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.     

Bimodal proton transfer in acid-base reactions in water

We investigate one of the fundamental reactions in solutions, the neutralization of an acid by a base. We use a photoacid, 8-hydroxy-1,3,6-trisulfonate-pyrene (HPTS; pyranine), which upon photoexcitation reacts with acetate under transfer of a deuteron (solvent: deuterated water). We analyze in detail the resulting bimodal reaction dynamics between the photoacid and the base, the first report on which was recently published. We have ascribed the bimodal proton-transfer dynamics to contributions from preformed hydrogen bonding complexes and from initially uncomplexed acid and base. We report on the observation of an additional (6 ps)(-1) contribution to the reaction rate constant. As before, we analyze the slower part of the reaction within the framework of the diffusion model and the fastest part by a static, sub-150 fs reaction rate. Adding the second static term considerably improves the overall modeling of the experimental results. It also allows to connect experimentally the diffusion controlled bimolecular reaction models as defined by Eigen-Weller and by Collins-Kimball. Our findings are in agreement with a three-stage mechanism for liquid phase intermolecular proton transfer: mutual diffusion of acid and base to form a "loose" encounter complex, followed by reorganization of the solvent shells and by "tightening" of the acid-base encounter complex. These rearrangements last a few picoseconds and enable a prompt proton transfer along the reaction coordinate, which occurs faster than our time resolution of 150 fs. Alternative models for the explanation of the slower "on-contact" reaction time of the loose encounter complex in terms of proton transmission through a von Grotthuss mechanism are also discussed.     

Localization of Fatty Acyl and Double Bond Positions in Phosphatidylcholines Using a Dual Stage CID Fragmentation Coupled with Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry

A high content molecular fragmentation for the analysis of phosphatidylcholines (PC) was achieved utilizing a two-stage [trap (first generation fragmentation) and transfer (second generation fragmentation)] collision-induced dissociation (CID) in combination with travelling-wave ion mobility spectrometry (TWIMS). The novel aspects of this work reside in the fact that a TWIMS arrangement was used to obtain a high level structural information including location of fatty acyl substituents and double bonds for PCs in plasma, and the presence of alkali metal adduct ions such as [M?+?Li]⁺ was not required to obtain double bond positions. Elemental compositions for fragment ions were confirmed by accurate mass measurements. A very specific first generation fragment ion m/z 577 (M-phosphoryl choline) from the PC [16:0/18:1 (9Z)] was produced, which by further CID generated acylium ions containing either the fatty acyl 16:0 (C₁₅H₃₁CO⁺, m/z 239) or 18:1 (9Z) (C₁₇H₃₃CO⁺, m/z 265) substituent. Subsequent water loss from these acylium ions was key in producing hydrocarbon fragment ions mainly from the α-proximal position of the carbonyl group such as the hydrocarbon ion m/z 67 (+H₂C-HC?=?CH-CH?=?CH₂). Formation of these ions was of important significance for determining double bonds in the fatty acyl chains. In addition to this, and with the aid of ¹³C labeled lyso-phosphatidylcholine (LPC) 18:1 (9Z) in the ω-position (methyl) TAP fragmentation produced the ion at m/z 57. And was proven to be derived from the α-proximal (carboxylate) or distant ω-position (methyl) in the LPC.     

Ultrafast structural dynamics of water induced by dissipation of vibrational energy

In the liquid phase, water molecules form a disordered fluctuating network of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Using both inter- and intramolecular vibrations as structural probes in ultrafast infrared spectroscopy, we demonstrate a two-stage structural response of this network to energy disposal: vibrational energy from individually excited water molecules is transferred to intermolecular modes, resulting in a sub-100 fs nuclear rearrangement that leaves the local hydrogen bonds weakened but unbroken. Subsequent energy delocalization over many molecules occurs on an approximately 1 ps time scale and is connected with the breaking of hydrogen bonds, resulting in a macroscopically heated liquid.     

Electron ionization induced metastable decompositions of isomeric trimethylsilylmethanol, (CH3)3SiCH2OH, and methoxytrimethylsilane, (CH3)3SiOCH3

The metastable decompositions of trimethylsilylmethanol, (CH₃)₃SiCH₂OH (MW: 104, 1) and methoxytrimethylsilane, (CH₃)₃SiOCH₃ (MW: 104, 2) upon electron ionization have been investigated by use of mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) spectroscopy and D labeling. The metastable ions of 1 ^·+ decompose to give the fragment ions m/z 89 (CH ₃ ^· loss) and 73 (^·CH₂OH loss), whereas those of 2 ^·+ only yield the fragment ion m/z 89 (CH ₃ ^· loss). The latter fragment ion is generated by loss of a methyl radical from the trimethylsilyl group via a simple cleavage reaction as shown by D labeling. However, the fragment ions m/z 89 and 73 from 1 ^·+ are generated following an almost statistical exchange of the original methyl and methylene hydrogen atoms in the molecular ion as shown also by D labeling. This exchange indicates a complex rearrangement of the molecular ion of 1 ^·+ prior to metastable decomposition for which as key step a 1,2-trimethylsilyl group migration from carbon to oxygen is suggested. A different behavior is also found between the source-generated m/z 89 ions from 1 ^·+ which decompose in the metastable time region to give ions m/z 61 by loss of ethylene and those from 2 ^·+ which decompose in the metastable region to yield ions m/z 59 by elimination of formaldehyde.     

A 15N labelling,FD and FAB study of ammonia loss from protonated arginine molecules

The positive ion field desorption (FD) spectrum of arginine taken at the best anode temperature only contains a peak due to [M+H]⁺ ions. At higher emitter temperatures a considerable amount of fragmentation is induced and the [M+H NH₃]⁺ ions become most abundant. Specific ¹⁵N labelling reveals that the eliminated ammonia molecule, exclusively, contains one of the terminal nitrogen atoms of the guanidyl group. This also applies to the ammonia loss from metastably decomposing [M+H]⁺ ions. The positive ion fast atom bombardment (FAB) spectrum shows more fragmentation than the FD spectrum. In contrast with the FD results, the [M+H]⁺ ions generated upon FAB with ion lifetimes <10⁻⁶ s eliminate both ammonia containing one of the terminal nitrogen atoms of the guanidyl group and ammonia containing the α-amino group in the ratio of 1.35, as found by ¹⁵N labelling. The metastably decomposing [M+H]⁺ ions, however, eliminate only the former ammonia molecule. In the negative ion FD and FAB spectra no other peak than that corresponding to the [M H]⁻ ion is observed. Some attention has been paid to the thermal degradation of arginine on the basis of a few Curie-point pyrolysis experiments.