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Electrospray ionization was used to generate species such as [ZnNO3(CH3OH)2]+ from Zn(NO3)2•XH2O dissolved in a mixture of CH3OH and H2O. Collision-induced dissociation of [ZnNO3(CH3OH)2]+ causes elimination of CH3OH to form [ZnNO3(CH3OH)]+. Subsequent collision-induced dissociation of [ZnNO3(CH3OH)]+ causes elimination of 47 mass units (u), consistent with ejection of HNO2. The neutral loss shifts to 48 u for collision-induced dissociation of [ZnNO3(CD3OH)]+, demonstrating the ejection of HNO2 involves intra-complex transfer of H from the methyl group methanol ligand. Subsequent collision-induced dissociation causes the elimination of 30 u (32 u for the complex with CD3OH), suggesting the elimination of formaldehyde (CH2 = O). The product ion is [ZnOH]+. Collision-induced dissociation of a precursor complex created using CH3-18OH shows the isotope label is retained in CH2 = O. Density functional theory calculations suggested that the “rearranged” product, ZnOH with bound HNO2 and formaldehyde is significantly lower in energy than ZnNO3 with bound methanol. We therefore used infrared multiple-photon photodissociation spectroscopy to determine the structures of both [ZnNO3(CH3OH)2]+ and [ZnNO3(CH3OH)]+. The infrared spectra clearly show that both ions contain intact nitrate and methanol ligands, which suggests that rearrangement occurs during collision-induced dissociation of [ZnNO3(CH3OH)]+. Based on the density functional theory calculations, we propose that transfer of H, from the methyl group of the CH3OH ligand to nitrate, occurs in concert with the formation of a Zn–C bond. After dissociation to release HNO2, the product rearranges with the insertion of the remaining O atom into the Zn–C bond. Subsequent C–O bond cleavage, with H transfer, produces an ion–molecule complex composed of [ZnOH]+ and O = CH2.

In a previous study [Int. J. Mass Spectrom. 2010; 297: 67–75], the asymmetric O=U=O stretch (ν3) was measured for anionic uranyl complexes with composition [UO2(X)3]-, X = Cl-, Br- and I-. Within this group of complexes, the ν3 frequency red-shifts following the trend I > Br > Cl, suggesting concomitant weakening of the U=O bonds. However, a value for [UO2(F)3]- was not measured, which prevented a comprehensive comparison of measured ν3 positions to computed frequencies from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Because the shift in ν3 is predicted to be most dramatic when X = F, we revisited these species using infrared multiple-photon photodissociation spectroscopy. As in our earlier study, a modest red-shift to the ν3 vibration of ∼ 6 cm-1 was observed for X = I-, Br-, and Cl-, and the position of the frequency follows the trend I- > Br- > Cl-. The value measured for [UO2(F)3]- is ∼43 cm-1 lower than the one measured for [UO2(Cl)3]-. Overall, the trend with respect to ν3 position is reproduced well by computed frequencies from DFT.

© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2016. Understanding of the nature and extent of chemical bonding in uranyl coordination complexes is crucial for the design of new ligands for nuclear waste separation, uranium extraction from seawater, and other applications. We report here the synthesis, infrared spectroscopic characterization, and quantum chemical studies of a molecular uranyl-di-15-crown-5 complex. The structure and bonding of this unique complex featuring a distinctive 6-fold coplanar coordination staggered sandwich structure and an unusual non-perpendicular orientation of the uranyl moiety are evaluated using density functional theory and chemical bonding analyses. The results provide fundamental understanding of the coordination interaction of uranyl with oxygen-donor ligands.

Neutral complexes of zinc with N,N′-diisopropylpiperazine-2,3-dithione (iPr2Dt0) and N,N′-dimethylpiperazine-2,3-dithione (Me2Dt0) with chloride or maleonitriledithiolate (mnt2−) as coligands have been synthesized and characterized. The molecular structures of these zinc complexes have been determined using single crystal X-ray diffractometry. Complexes recrystallize in monoclinic P type systems with zinc adopting a distorted tetrahedral geometry. Two zinc complexes with mixed-valence dithiolene ligands exhibit ligand-to-ligand charge transfer bands. Optimized geometries, molecular vibrations and electronic structures of charge-transfer complexes were calculated using density functional theory (B3LYP/6-311G+(d,p) level). Redox orbitals are shown to be almost exclusively ligand in nature, with a HOMO based heavily on the electron-rich maleonitriledithiolate ligand, and a LUMO comprised mostly of the electron-deficient dithione ligand. Charge transfer is thus believed to proceed from dithiolate HOMO to dithione LUMO, showing ligand-to-ligand redox interplay across a d10 metal.

Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the peptide alanine-4-aminomethylbenzoic acid-glycine, A(AMBz)G generates a prominent b(2) ion despite a previous report [ER. Talaty, T.J. Cooper, S.M. Osburn, M.J. Van Stipdonk, Collision-induced dissociation of protonated tetrapeptides containing beta-alanine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, e-aminocaproic acid or 4-aminomethylbenzoic acid residues, Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 20 (2006) 3443-3455] which showed that incorporation of the aromatic amino acid into a peptide sequence inhibits generation of b(n) ions formed by cleavage to the immediate C-terminal side of the residue. Infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the b(2) ion generated from A(AMBz)G has an acylium structure. The b2 ion generated from (AMBz)AG, in which the aromatic residue is situated at the amino-terminus, is instead a conventional oxazolone. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The infrared spectrum of the bis-uranyl nitrate complex [(UO(2))(2)(NO(3))(5)](-) was measured in the gas phase using multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD). Intense absorptions corresponding to the nitrate symmetric and asymmetric vibrations, and the uranyl asymmetric vibration were observed. The nitrate nu(3) vibrations indicate the presence of nitrate in a bridging configuration bound to both uranyl cations, and probably two distinct pendant nitrates in the complex. The coordination environment of the nitrate ligands and the uranyl cations were compared to those in the mono-uranyl complex. Overall, the uranyl cation is more loosely coordinated in the bis-uranyl complex [(UO(2))(2)(NO(3))(5)](-) compared to the mono-complex [UO(2)(NO(3))(3)](-), as indicated by a higher O-U-O asymmetric stretching (nu(3)) frequency. However, the pendant nitrate ligands are more strongly bound in the bis-complex than they are in the mono-uranyl complex, as indicated by the nu(3) frequencies of the pendant nitrate, which are split into nitrosyl and O-N-O vibrations as a result of bidentate coordination. These phenomena are consistent with lower electron density donation per uranyl by the nitrate bridging two uranyl centers compared to that of a pendant nitrate in the mono-uranyl complex. The lowest energy structure predicted by density functional theory (B3LYP functional) calculations was one in which the two uranyl molecules bridged by a single nitrate coordinated in a bis-bidentate fashion. Each uranyl molecule was coordinated by two pendant nitrate ligands. The corresponding vibrational spectrum was in excellent agreement with the IRMPD measurement, confirming the structural assignment. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tris-carboxylate complexes of uranyl [UO2](2+) with acetate and benzoate were generated using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and then isolated in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. Wavelength-selective infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) of the tris-acetato uranyl anion resulted in a redox elimination of an acetate radical, which was used to generate an IR spectrum that consisted of six prominent absorption bands. These were interpreted with the aid of density functional theory calculations in terms of symmetric and antisymmetric -CO2 stretches of the monodentate and bidentate acetate, CH3 bending and umbrella vibrations, and a uranyl O-U-O asymmetric stretch. The comparison of the calculated and measured IR spectra indicated that the predominant conformer of the tris-acetate complex contained two acetate ligands bound in a bidentate fashion, while the third acetate was monodentate. In similar fashion, the tris-benzoate uranyl anion was formed and photodissociated by loss of a benzoate radical, enabling measurement of the infrared spectrum that was in close agreement with that calculated for a structure containing one monodentate and two bidentate benzoate ligands. (J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 2010, 21, 719-727) (C) 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Society for Mass Spectrometry

Electrospray ionization (ESI) in the negative ion mode was used to create anionic, gas-phase oxo-molybdenum complexes with dithiolene ligands. By varying ESI and ion transfer conditions, both doubly and singly charged forms of the complex, with identical formulas, could be observed. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the dianion generated exclusively the monoanion, while fragmentation of the monoanion involved decomposition of the dithiolene ligands. The intrinsic structure of the monoanion and the dianion were determined by using wavelength-selective infrared multiple-photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The IRMPD spectrum for the dianion exhibits absorptions that can be assigned to (ligand) C=C, C-S, C-C N, and Mo=O stretches. Comparison of the IRMPD spectrum to spectra predicted for various possible conformations allows assignment of a pseudo square pyramidal structure with C-2 nu, symmetry, equatorial coordination of MoO2+ by the S atoms of the dithiolene ligands, and a singlet spin state. A single absorption was observed for the oxidized complex. When the same scaling factor employed for the dianion is used oxidized version, theoretical spectra suggest that the absorption is the Mo=O stretch for a distorted square pyramidal structure and doublet spin state. A predicted change in conformation upon oxidation of the dianion is consistent with a proposed bonding scheme for the bent-metallocene dithiolene compounds [Lauher, J. W.; Hoffmann, R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1976, 98, 1729-1742], where a large folding of the dithiolene moiety along the S center dot center dot center dot S vector is dependent on the occupancy of the in-plane metal d-orbital.

Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of protonated 2-hydroxynicotinic acid (2-OHNic) generates a dominant product ion through loss of 18 mass units, presumably the elimination of water. Subsequent isolation and storage of this product ion in the gas-phase environment of an ion trap mass spectrometer, without imposed collisional activation, shows that the species undergoes addition reactions to furnish new products that are higher in mass by 18 and 32 units. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that an acylium ion (i.e., loss of H2O from the acid group) is energetically more favored than is a species generated by elimination of H2O from the hydroxypyridine ring. Formation of the acylium product is confirmed by comparing the infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectrum to theoretical spectra from (DFT) harmonic calculations for several possible isomers. A thorough DFT study of the reaction dynamics suggests that the acylium ion is generated from the global minimum for the protonated precursor along a pathway that involves proton transfer from the hydroxypyridine ring and elimination of OH from the acid group.

The structure and reactivity of the cysteine methyl ester radical cation, CysOMe(center dot+), have been examined in the gas phase using a combination of experiment and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. CysOMe(center dot+) undergoes rapid ion molecule reactions with dimethyl disulfide, ally! bromide, and allyl iodide, but is unreactive towards allyl chloride. These reactions proceed by radical atom or group transfer and are consistent with CysOMe(center dot+) possessing structure 1, in which the radical site is located on the sulfur atom and the amino group is protonated. This contrasts with DFT calculations that predict a captodative structure 2, in which the radical site is positioned on the a carbon and the carbonyl group is protonated, and that is more stable than 1 by 13.0 kJ mol(-1). To resolve this apparent discrepancy the gas-phase IR spectrum of CysOMe(center dot+) was experimentally determined and compared with the theoretically predicted IR spectra of a range of isomers. An excellent match was obtained for 1. DFT calculations highlight that although 1 is thermodynamically less stable than 2, it is kinetically stable with respect to rearrangement.

Multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry was used to characterize the dissociation pathways for complexes composed of (1) the uranyl ion, (2) nitrate or hydroxide, and (3) water or alcohol. The complex ions were derived from electrospray ionization (ESI) of solutions of uranyl nitrate in H2O or mixtures of H2O and alcohol. In general, collisional induced dissociation (CID) of the uranyl complexes resulted in elimination of coordinating water and alcohol ligands. For undercoordinated complexes containing nitrate and one or two coordinating alcohol molecules, the elimination of nitric acid was observed, leaving an ion pair composed of the uranyl cation and an alkoxide. For complexes with coordinating water molecules, MS(n) led to the generation of either [UO2(2+)OH-] or [UO2(2+)NO3(-)]. Subsequent CID of [UO2(2+)OH-] produced UO2(+). The base peak in the spectrum generated by the dissociation of [UO2(2+)NO3(-)], however, was an H2O adduct to UO2(+). The abundance of the species was greater than expected based on previous experimental measurements of the (slow) hydration rate for UO2(+) when stored in the ion trap. To account for the production of the hydrated product, a reductive elimination reaction involving reactive collisions with water in the ion trap is proposed.

In this study, the possible influence of acidic, basic, and amide side chains on the opening of a putative macrocyclic b ion (b(5)(+)) intermediate was investigated. Collision induced dissociation (CID) of b(5) ions was studied using a group of hexapeptides in which amino acids with the side chains of interest occupied internal sequence positions. Further experiments were performed with permuted isomers of glutamine (Q) containing peptides to probe for sequence scrambling and whether the specific sequence site of the residues influences opening of the macrocycle. Overall, the trend for (apparent) preferential/selective opening of the cyclic b(5)(+), presumably due to the side chain, followed by the loss of the amino acid with active side group is: QKDN approximately E.