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International audience; A comprehensive investigation of low-energy electron attachment and electron ionization of the nimorazole radiosensitizer used in cancer radiation therapy is reported by means of a gas-phase crossed beam experiment in an electron energy range from 0 eV to 70 eV. Regarding negative ion formation, we discuss the formation of fifteen fragment anions in the electron energy range of 0 eV–10 eV, where the most intense signal is assigned to the nitrogen dioxide anion NO2−. The other fragment anions have been assigned to form predominantly from a common temporary negative ion state close to 3 eV of the nitroimidazole moiety, while the morpholine moiety seems to act only as a spectator in the dissociative electron attachment event to nimorazole. Quantum chemical calculations have been performed to help interpreting the experimental data with thermochemical thresholds, electron affinities, and geometries of some of the neutral molecules. As far as positive ion formation is concerned, the mass spectrum at the electron energy of 70 eV shows a weakly abundant parent ion and C5H10NO+ as the most abundant fragment cation. We report appearance energy (AE) measurements for six cations. For the intact nimorazole molecular cation, the AE of 8.16 ± 0.05 eV was obtained, which is near the presently calculated adiabatic ionization energy.

International audience; The formation of radical anions of nitroimidazolic radiosensitizers, nimorazole and metronidazole, and their unimolecular dissociation reactions upon high-energy collisions with He gas were investigated with a double focusing mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source. Radical anions of both, nimorazole and metronidazole, are readily formed in the ESI process, while for the metronidazole also the deprotonated anion is formed. A variety of dissociation channels is observed and the associated kinetic energy released in the dissociation for most of these channels is reported. The marker anion NO2 − is observed in the dissociation of all studied anions. The release of NO• radical from the radical anions is associated with surprisingly small kinetic energy release in comparison to simple nitroimidazoles. On the other hand, the highest kinetic energy release is noted for the release of the neutral side group from N1 position of the imidazole ring, which suggests that the substitution at the N1 plays a crucial role in the decomposition of anions of radiosensitizers

International audience; Rationale Histidine (His) is an essential amino acid, whose side group consists of an aromatic imidazole moiety that can bind a proton or metal cation and act as a donor in intermolecular interactions in many biological processes. While the dissociation of His monomer ions is well known, information on the kinetic energy released in the dissociation is missing. Methods Using a new home-built electrospray ionization (ESI) source adapted to a double-focusing mass spectrometer of BE geometry, we investigated the fragmentation reactions of protonated and deprotonated His, [His + H]+ and [His − H]−, and the protonated His dimer [His2 + H]+, accelerated to 6 keV in a high-energy collision with helium gas. We evaluated the kinetic energy release (KER) for the observed dissociation channels. Results ESI of His solution in positive mode led to the formation of His clusters [Hisn + H]+, n = 1–6, with notably enhanced stability of the tetramer. [His + H]+ dissociates predominantly by loss of (H2O + CO) with a KER of 278 meV, while the dominant dissociation channel of [His − H]− involves loss of NH3 with a high KER of 769 meV. Dissociation of [His2 + H]+ is dominated by loss of the monomer but smaller losses are also observed. Conclusions The KER for HCOOH loss from both [His + H]+ and [His − H]− is similar at 278 and 249 meV, respectively, which suggests that the collision-induced dissociation takes place via a similar mechanism. The loss of COOH and C2H5NO2 from the dimer suggests that the dimer of His binds through a shared proton between the imidazole moieties.

FWF, Vienna, P30332 PD/BD/114452/2016 PTDC/FIS-AQM/31281/2017 PD/00193/2012 UID/FIS/00068/2019 P7440-035-011 ANR-10-LABX-0066 ANR-11-IDEX-0007 Imidazole (IMI) is a basic building block of many biologically important compounds. Thus, its electron ionization properties are of major interest and essential for the comparison with other molecular targets containing its elemental structure. 2-Nitroimidazole (2NI) contains the imidazole ring together with nitrogen dioxide bound to the C2 position, making it a radiosensitizing compound in hypoxic tumors. In the present study, we investigated electron ionization of IMI and 2NI and determined the mass spectra, the ionization energies, and appearance energies of the most abundant fragment cations. The experiments were complemented by quantum chemical calculations on the thermodynamic thresholds and potential energy surfaces, with particular attention to the calculated transition states for the most important dissociation reactions. In the case of IMI, substantially lower threshold values (up to ~ 1.5 eV) were obtained in the present work compared to the only available previous electron ionization study. Closer agreement was found with recent photon ionization values, albeit the general trend of slightly higher values for the case of electron ionization. The only exception for imidazole was found in the molecular cation at m/z 40 which is tentatively assigned to the quasi-linear HCCNH+/ HCNCH+. Electron ionization of 2NI leads to analogous fragment cations as in imidazole, yet different dissociation pathways must be operative due to the presence of the NO2 group. Regarding the potential radiosensitization properties of 2NI, electron ionization is characterized by dominant parent cation formation and release of the neutral NO radical. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. publishersversion published

International audience; Nitroimidazolic radiosensitizers are used in radiation therapy to selectively sensitize cancer cells deprived of oxygen, and the actual mechanism of radiosensitization is still not understood. Selecting five radiosensitizers (1-methyl-5-nitroimidazole, ronidazole, ornidazole, metronidazole, and nimorazole) with a common 5-nitroimidazolic ring with different substitutions at N1 and C2 positions of the imidazole moiety, we investigate here their binding to nucleobases (A, T, G, and C) and nucleosides (As, Td, Gs, and Cd) via the positive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry experiments. In addition, quantum chemical calculations at the M062x/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory and basis set were used to determine binding energies of the proton bound dimers of a radiosensitizer and a nucleobase. The positive electrospray ionization leads to the formation of proton bound dimers of all radiosensitizers except 1-methyl-5-nitroimidazole in high abundance with C and smaller abundance with G. Ronidazole and metronidazole formed less abundant dimers also with A, while no dimers were observed to be formed at all with T. In contrast to the case of the nucleoside Td, the dimer intensity is as high as that with Cd, while the abundance of the dimer with Gs is smaller than that of the former. The experimental results are consistent with the calculations of binding energies suggesting proton bound dimers with C and G to be the strongest bound ones. Finally, a barrier-free proton transfer is observed when protonated G or C approaches the nitroimidazole ring.

International audience; Nitroimidazoles are important compounds in medicine, biology, and the food industry. The growing need for their structural assignment, as well as the need for the development of the detection and screening methods, provides the motivation to understand their fundamental properties and reactivity. Here, we investigated the decomposition of protonated ronidazole [Roni+H]+ in low-energy and high-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) experiments. Quantum chemical calculations showed that the main fragmentation channels involve intramolecular proton transfer from nitroimidazole to its side chain followed by a release of NH2CO2H, which can proceed via two pathways involving transfer of H+ from (1) the N3 position via a barrier of TS2 of 0.97 eV, followed by the rupture of the C–O bond with a thermodynamic threshold of 2.40 eV; and (2) the –CH3 group via a higher barrier of 2.77 eV, but with a slightly lower thermodynamic threshold of 2.24 eV. Electrospray ionization of ronidazole using deuterated solvents showed that in low-energy CID, only pathway (1) proceeds, and in high-energy CID, both channels proceed with contributions of 81% and 19%. While both of the pathways are associated with small kinetic energy release of 10–23 meV, further release of the NO• radical has a KER value of 339 meV.

Significance Gas-to-particle conversion, also known as atmospheric aerosol nucleation, is responsible for about half of the global cloud condensation nuclei. It has been further argued that homogenous ternary nucleation including water is the major pathway for atmospheric aerosol formation. In contrast to earlier results on pure protonated water clusters, the shape of the measured velocity distributions of water molecules evaporated from excited water clusters doped with pyridinium, an abundant anthropogenic ion in the troposphere, shows evidence for out-of-equilibrium evaporation prior to thermalization. Water molecule evaporation is found to be much slower for the doped clusters, indicating in turn how such contaminants facilitate the growth of water clusters and consequently the nucleation processes at the early stages of atmospheric aerosol formation., Atmospheric aerosols are one of the major factors affecting planetary climate, and the addition of anthropogenic molecules into the atmosphere is known to strongly affect cloud formation. The broad variety of compounds present in such dilute media and their specific underlying thermalization processes at the nanoscale make a complete quantitative description of atmospheric aerosol formation certainly challenging. In particular, it requires fundamental knowledge about the role of impurities in water cluster growth, a crucial step in the early stage of aerosol and cloud formation. Here, we show how a hydrophobic pyridinium ion within a water cluster drastically changes the thermalization properties, which will in turn change the corresponding propensity for water cluster growth. The combination of velocity map imaging with a recently developed mass spectrometry technique allows the direct measurement of the velocity distribution of the water molecules evaporated from excited clusters. In contrast to previous results on pure water clusters, the low-velocity part of the distributions for pyridinium-doped water clusters is composed of 2 distinct Maxwell–Boltzmann distributions, indicating out-of-equilibrium evaporation. More generally, the evaporation of water molecules from excited clusters is found to be much slower when the cluster is doped with a pyridinium ion. Therefore, the presence of a contaminant molecule in the nascent cluster changes the energy storage and disposal in the early stages of gas-to-particle conversion, thereby leading to an increased rate of formation of water clusters and consequently facilitating homogeneous nucleation at the early stages of atmospheric aerosol formation.

Misonidazole (MISO) was considered as radiosensitizer for the treatment of hypoxic tumors. A prerequisite for entering a hypoxic cell is reduction of the drug, which may occur in the early physical-chemical stage of radiation damage. Here we study electron attachment to MISO and find that it very effectively captures low energy electrons to form the non-decomposed molecular anion. This associative attachment (AA) process is exclusively operative within a very narrow resonance right at threshold (zero electron energy). In addition, a variety of negatively charged fragments are observed in the electron energy range 0&ndash, 10 eV arising from dissociative electron attachment (DEA) processes. The observed DEA reactions include single bond cleavages (formation of NO2&minus, ), multiple bond cleavages (excision of CN&minus, ) as well as complex reactions associated with rearrangement in the transitory anion and formation of new molecules (loss of a neutral H2O unit). While any of these AA and DEA processes represent a reduction of the MISO molecule, the radicals formed in the course of the DEA reactions may play an important role in the action of MISO as radiosensitizer inside the hypoxic cell. The present results may thus reveal details of the molecular description of the action of MISO in hypoxic cells.

Electron-induced chemistry in imidazole (IMI) clusters embedded in helium nanodroplets (with an average size of 2$\times$10$^5$ He atoms) has been investigated with high-resoluton time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The formation of both, negative and positive, ions was monitored as a function of the cluster size n. In both ion spectra a clear series of peaks with IMI cluster sizes up to at least 25 are observed. While the anions are formed by collisions of IMI$_n$ with He$^\star$$^{-}$, the cations are formed through ionization of IMI$_n$ by He$^{+}$ as the measured onset for the cation formation is observed at 24.6 eV (ionization energy of He). The most abundant series of anions are dehydrogenated anions IMI$_{n-1}$(IMI-H)$^{-}$, while other anion series are IMI clusters involving CN and C$_2$H$_4$ moieties. The formation of cations is dominated by the protonated cluster ions IMI$_n$H$^{+}$, while the intensity of parent cluster cations IMI$_n$$^{+}$ is also observed preferentially for the small cluster size n. The observation of series of cluster cations [IMI$_n$CH$_3$]$^{+}$ suggests either CH$_3$$^{+}$ cation to be solvated by n neutral IMI molecules, or the electron-induced chemistry has led to the formation of protonated methyl-imidazole solvated by (n-1) neutral IMI molecules., 29 pages, 10 figures

International audience; Velocity distributions of neutral water molecules evaporated after collision induced dissociation of protonated water clusters H+(H2O)n≤10 were measured using the combined correlated ion and neutral fragment time-of-flight (COINTOF) and velocity map imaging (VMI) techniques. As observed previously, all measured velocity distributions exhibit two contributions, with a low velocity part identified by statistical molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations as events obeying the Maxwell–Boltzmann statistics and a high velocity contribution corresponding to non-ergodic events in which energy redistribution is incomplete. In contrast to earlier studies, where the evaporation of a single molecule was probed, the present study is concerned with events involving the evaporation of up to five water molecules. In particular, we discuss here in detail the cases of two and three evaporated molecules. Evaporation of several water molecules after CID can be interpreted in general as a sequential evaporation process. In addition to the SMD calculations, a Monte Carlo (MC) based simulation was developed allowing the reconstruction of the velocity distribution produced by the evaporation of m molecules from H+(H2O)n≤10 cluster ions using the measured velocity distributions for singly evaporated molecules as the input. The observed broadening of the low-velocity part of the distributions for the evaporation of two and three molecules as compared to the width for the evaporation of a single molecule results from the cumulative recoil velocity of the successive ion residues as well as the intrinsically broader distributions for decreasingly smaller parent clusters. Further MC simulations were carried out assuming that a certain proportion of non-ergodic events is responsible for the first evaporation in such a sequential evaporation series, thereby allowing to model the entire velocity distribution.

Measurement of velocity distributions of evaporated water monomers from small mass- and energy-selected protonated water clusters allows probing the extent of thermalization after excitation of these ultimately small nanodroplets. Electronic excitation of a molecule in the cluster is here induced by a single collision with an argon atom in the keV energy range. The measured velocity distributions of the departing neutral molecules exhibit bimodal shapes with a lower-velocity part consistent with a complete redistribution of the deposited energy in the entire cluster and a higher-velocity contribution corresponding to evaporation before complete energy redistribution. Statistical molecular dynamics calculations reproduce the bimodal shape of the velocity distributions by assuming an initial spreading of the excitation energy among all modes, thereby reproducing the lower velocity contribution of the distribution. By contrast, assuming the deposited energy to be initially localized among the modes of a single molecule leads to calculated distributions with two components whose shape is in accordance with the experimental results. The characteristics and the relative abundance of these two contributions in the velocity distributions obtained are presented and discussed as a function of the number of molecules (n = 2-10) in the ionized nanodroplet H+(H2O)n.Measurement of velocity distributions of evaporated water monomers from small mass- and energy-selected protonated water clusters allows probing the extent of thermalization after excitation of these ultimately small nanodroplets. Electronic excitation of a molecule in the cluster is here induced by a single collision with an argon atom in the keV energy range. The measured velocity distributions of the departing neutral molecules exhibit bimodal shapes with a lower-velocity part consistent with a complete redistribution of the deposited energy in the entire cluster and a higher-velocity contribution corresponding to evaporation before complete energy redistribution. Statistical molecular dynamics calculations reproduce the bimodal shape of the velocity distributions by assuming an initial spreading of the excitation energy among all modes, thereby reproducing the lower velocity contribution of the distribution. By contrast, assuming the deposited energy to be initially localized among the modes of a sing...

The velocity of a molecule evaporated from a mass-selected protonated water nanodroplet is measured by velocity map imaging in combination with a recently developed mass spectrometry technique. The measured velocity distributions allow probing statistical energy redistribution in ultimately small water nanodroplets after ultrafast electronic excitation. As the droplet size increases, the velocity distribution rapidly approaches the behavior expected for macroscopic droplets. However, a distinct high-velocity contribution provides evidence of molecular evaporation before complete energy redistribution, corresponding to non-ergodic events.

RATIONALE Non-covalent amino acid clusters are the subject of intense research in diverse areas including peptide bond formation studies or the determination of proton affinities or methylating abilities of amino acids. However, most of the research has focused on positive ions and little is known about anionic clusters. METHODS Fragmentation reactions of deprotonated tryptophan (Trp), [Trp-H](-) and Trp singly deprotonated non-covalently bound clusters [Trp(n) -H](-), n = 2, 3, 4, were investigated using low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) with He atoms, high-energy CID with Na atoms, and electron-induced dissociation (EID) with 20-35 eV electrons. Fragmentation of the monomeric Trp anion, where all labile hydrogens were exchanged for deuterium [d(4) -Trp-D](-), was investigated using low-energy CID and EID, in order to shed light on the dissociation mechanisms. RESULTS The main fragmentation channel for Trp cluster anions, [Trp(n) -H](-), n >1, is the loss of the neutral monomer. The fragmentation of the deprotonated Trp monomer induced by electrons resembles the fragmentation induced by high-energy collisions through electronic excitation of the parent. However, the excitation must precede in a different way, shown through only monomer loss from larger clusters, n >1, in case of EID, but intracluster chemistry in the case of high-energy CID. CONCLUSIONS The anion of the indole ring C(8)H(6) N(-) has been identified in the product ion spectra of [Trp(n) -H](-) using all activation methods, thus providing a diagnostic marker ion. No evidence was found for formation of peptide bonds as a route to prebiotic peptides in the fragmentation reactions of these singly deprotonated Trp cluster ions.

International audience; Nitroimidazoles are important compounds with chemotherapeutic applications as antibacterial drugs or as radiosensitizers in radiotherapy. Despite their use in biological applications, little is known about the fundamental properties of these compounds. Understanding the ionization reactions of these compounds is crucial in evaluating the radiosensitization potential and in developing new and more effective drugs. Thus, the present study investigates the decomposition of negative and positive ions of 2-nitroimidazole and 4(5)-nitroimidazole using low- and high-energy Collision-Induced Dissociation (CID) and Electron-Induced Dissociation (EID) by two different mass spectrometry techniques and is supported by quantum chemistry calculations. EID of [M+H]+ leads to more extensive fragmentation than CID and involves many radical cleavages including loss of H˙ leading to the formation of the radical cation, M˙+. The stability (metastable decay) and the fragmentation (high-energy CID) of the radical cation M˙+ have been probed in a crossed-beam experiment involving primary electron ionization of the neutral nitroimidazole. Thus, fragments in the EID spectra of [M+H]+ that come from further dissociation of radical cation M˙+ have been highlighted. The loss of NO˙ radical from M˙+ is associated with a high Kinetic Energy Release (KER) of 0.98 eV. EID of [M–H]− also leads to additional fragments compared to CID, however, with much lower cross section. Only EID of [M+H]+ leads to a slight difference in the decomposition of 2-nitroimidazole and 4(5)-nitroimidazole.

Histidine (His) is an essential amino acid, whose side group consists of an aromatic imidazole moiety that can bind a proton or metal cation and act as a donor in intermolecular interactions in many biological processes. While the dissociation of His monomer ions is well known, information on the kinetic energy released in the dissociation is missing.Using a new home-built electrospray ionization (ESI) source adapted to a double-focusing mass spectrometer of BE geometry, we investigated the fragmentation reactions of protonated and deprotonated His, [His + H]ESI of His solution in positive mode led to the formation of His clusters [HisThe KER for HCOOH loss from both [His + H]

International audience; The deleterious cellular effects of ionizing radiation are well-known, but the mechanisms causing DNA damage are poorly understood. The accepted molecular events involve initial oxidation and deprotonation at guanine sites, triggering hydrogen atom abstraction reactions from the sugar moieties, causing DNA strand breaks. Probing the chemistry of the initially formed radical cation has been challenging. Here, we generate, spectroscopically characterize, and examine the reactivity of the Watson–Crick nucleobase pair radical cation in the gas phase. We observe rich chemistry, including proton transfer between the bases and propagation of the radical site in deoxyguanosine from the base to the sugar, thus rupturing the sugar. This first example of a gas-phase model system providing molecular-level details on the chemistry of an ionized DNA base pair paves the way toward a more complete understanding of molecular processes induced by radiation. It also highlights the role of radical propagation in chemistry, biology, and nanotechnology.

International audience; The evaporation of water molecules from high-velocity argon atoms impinging on protonated water clusters has been computationally investigated using molecular dynamics simulations with the reactive OSS2 potential to model water clusters and the ZBL pair potential to represent their interaction with the projectile. Swarms of trajectories and an event-by-event analysis reveal the conditions under which a specific number of molecular evaporation events is found one nanosecond after impact, thereby excluding direct knockout events from the analysis. These simulations provide velocity distributions that exhibit two main features, with a major statistical component arising from a global redistribution of the collision energy into intermolecular degrees of freedom, and another minor but non-ergodic feature at high velocities. The latter feature is produced by direct impacts on the peripheral water molecules and reflects a more complete momentum transfer. These two components are consistent with recent experimental measurements and confirm that electronic processes are not explicitly needed to explain the observed non-ergodic behavior.

International audience; Imidazole [C3H4N2] is ubiquitous in nature as an important biological building block of amino acids, purine nucleobases or antibiotics. In the present study, dissociative electron attachment to imidazole shows low energy shape resonances at 1.52 and 2.29 eV leading to the most abundant dehydrogenated anion [imidazole − H]− through dehydrogenation at the N1 position. All the other anions formed exhibit core excited resonances observed dominantly at similar electron energies of ∼7 and 11 eV, suggesting an initial formation through two temporary negative ion states. Among these anions, multiple dehydrogenation reactions are observed resulting in the loss of 2 up to 4 hydrogens, thus, leading to a complete dehydrogenation of the imidazole molecule, an interesting prototype of complex unimolecular decay induced by the attachment of a single electron. Additionally, the quantum chemical calculations reveal that these multiple dehydrogenation reactions are responsible for the remarkable one electron-induced gas-phase chemistry leading to the opening of the ring. The formation of the observed anions is likely driven by the high positive electron affinity of cyanocarbon molecules supported by quantum chemical calculations. The formation of H− showed additional resonance at about 5 eV and dipolar dissociation above ∼14 eV.

International audience; Low-energy electrons effectively decompose the isomers 2-nitroimidazole and 4(5)-nitroimidazole by dissociative electron attachment (DEA) into a variety of fragment anions and radicals. The present study shows that a distinct selectivity for the two isomers occurs in the DEA reactions. Several new decay channels are observed for 2-nitroimidazole, including a dominant one leading to the loss of molecular H2O by attachment of a low-energy electron. In contrast, the loss of a single hydrogen atom is a much more efficient reaction in DEA to 4(5)-nitroimidazole. Quantum chemical calculations were carried out to explain the pronounced isomer effect found in the DEA experiment. Although the free energies of the reactions are similar for the different isomers, the very different natures of the dipole-bound states and valence-bound anions lead to preference for or hindrance of a particular dissociation channel. Nitroimidazolic compounds are considered as radiosensitizing compounds in tumor radiation therapy. The enhanced formation of fragments, including the highly reactive hydroxyl radical, in DEA to 2-nitroimidazole suggests that it may be a more efficient radiosensitizing agent than 4(5)-nitroimidazoles.

Electrospray ionisation of methanolic solutions containing a mixture of the nucleoside deoxyguanosine, dG, incubated with Cu(NO3)2 resulted in the formation of a range of ions, including doubly charged copper nucleoside complexes [CuIIdGn]2+, with n ranging from 2 to 10. Collision-induced dissociation of these complexes proceeds via a number of different pathways that depend on the size of the cluster, n. When n = 3, monomeric radical cations are formed via redox processes. When n = 4, dimeric radical cations are formed. Related complexes are formed for the nucleoside guanosine, Gs, and these [CuIIGsn]2+ complexes fragment in similar fashions to their [CuIIdGn]2+ counterparts. A key finding is that the radical cations of dG and Gs have fragmentation patterns that depend on the way they are formed. Thus radical cations, dG•+ and Gs•+, formed directly in the electrospray ionisation source or via collision-induced dissociation of [CuIIdG3]2+ and [CuIIGs3]2+ complexes fragment in the same way, giving the radical cation of the guanine base at m/z 151 via cleavage of the N-glycosidic bond. In contrast, the collision-induced dissociation spectra of radical cations formed via the sequences [CuIIdG4]2+→ dG2 •+→ dG•+ and [CuIIGs4]2+→ Gs2 •+→ Gs•+ are dominated by the loss of CH2O and further loss of C2H3O2 from the sugar moiety. These different fragmentation reactions are attributed to different tautomeric structures of the radical cations. Quantum chemical calculations were carried out on possible structures of the radical cation dimer of the model 9-methylguanine. Three low energy structures were found. Two of these represent base pairs of the kind found in supramolecular motifs of guanine derivatives, and one of these possesses a novel tautomeric structure that may have important biological implications.

Negative electrospray ionization of iron(III) salen complex of flavonoids, M, was used in conjunction with collision-induced dissociation (CID) to examine the formation and subsequent fragmentation reactions of their radical anions [M−2H] − . Sixteen different flavonoids were investigated from three different sub-groups (flavanone, flavone and flavanol). All formed the desired iron salen complex, [Fe III (salen)(M−2H)] − , and all but one of these complexes produced the radical anion upon CID. The CID fragmentation reactions of these radical anions, [M−2H] − , were compared to their even electron counterparts [M−H] − . Generally the former provided more structural information, with novel cross-ring cleavages of sugar(s) often being observed. Isomeric flavonoids can often be distinguished based on the differences in the fragmentation pathways of their radical anions.

Introduction One of the specificities of ionizing radiations is that they interact with the electrons of the irradiated matter. In a molecular system the electrons are localized in molecules and the energy is initially deposited in the form of electronic excitation of one of the molecules. The description of the radiation of such initially deposited energy on the nanometer scale in the nearby molecules is challenging, in particular in the context of the therapies combining irradiation and radiosensitizers. Methods The originality of the work consists of the study of “model” molecular nanosystems by both, the experiment and the theory. The nanodroplets are initially prepared with a given number of molecules. After a single ultrafast energy deposition located in one of the molecules, the nanodroplet is analyzed after a given relaxation time. The method combining mass spectrometry and imaging techniques allows the analysis of each nanodroplet and this is done for a large number of nanodroplets [1] . The results are compared with statistical molecular dynamics calculations [2] . Results Thermalisation in nanodroplets following the sudden electronic excitation of one of the molecules [3] is observed with respect to the number of molecules (2–10 typically) in the nanodroplet and for several different types of nanodroplets: protonated water nanodroplets, water nanodroplets including an hydrophobic impurity, protonated methanol nanodroplets. The results show that the evaporation of a molecule takes place also before the full thermalisation of the nanodroplet through the ejection of a molecule with a speed clearly higher than that observed after full thermalisation. The measurements on the methanol nanodroplets evidence a competition between the evaporation of a molecule of methanol and a reaction between the molecules leading to the elimination of a water molecule. Conclusions The quantitative comparison between the experimental results and the theoretical calculations for molecular nanosystems irradiated in the gas-phase paves the way to robust modelling of the irradiation mechanisms on the nanometer scale.

Electrospray ionization (ESI) of tryptophan gives rise to multiply charged, non-covalent tryptophan cluster anions, [Trpn–xH]x−, in a linear ion trap mass spectrometer, as confirmed by high-resolution experiments performed on a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer. The smallest multiply charged clusters that can be formed in the linear ion trap as a function of charge state are: x = 2, n = 7; x = 3, n = 16; x = 4, n = 31. The fragmentation of the dianionic cluster [Trp9–2H]2− was examined via low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID), ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) at 266 nm and electron-induced dissociation (EID) at electron energies ranging from >0 to 30 eV. CID proceeds mostly via charge separation and evaporation of neutral tryptophan. The smallest doubly charged cluster that can be formed via evaporation of neutral tryptophans is [Trp7–2H]2−, consistent with the observation of this cluster in the ESI mass spectrum. UVPD gives singly charged tryptophan clusters ranging from n = 2 to n = 9. The latter ion arises from ejection of an electron to give the radical anion cluster, [Trp9–2H]−.. The types of gas-phase EID reactions observed are dependent on the energy of the electrons. Loss of neutral tryptophan is an important channel at lower energies, with the smallest doubly charged ion, [Trp7–2H]2−, being observed at 19.8 eV. Coulomb explosion starts to occur at 19.8 eV to form the singly charged cluster ions [Trpx–H]− (x = 1–8) via highly asymmetric fission. At 21.8 eV a small amount of [Trp2–H–NH3]− is observed. Thus CID, UVPD and EID are complementary techniques for the study of the fragmentation reactions of cluster ions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Previous studies have shown that low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the important sulfonium ion metabolite S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet, m/z 399) yields five main product ions: an ion at m/z 250 arising from methionine loss; ions at m/z 102 and 298, which arise via cleavage of the gamma C-S bond of methionine; and ions at m/z 136 and 264, which arise via loss of protonated and neutral adenine, respectively. These metabolomics studies have, however, either totally ignored the mechanisms that govern the formation of the major product ion at m/z 250 (Gellekink H, van Oppenraaij-Emmerzaal D, van Rooij A, Struys EA, den Heijer M, Blom HJ. Clin. Chem. 2005; 51: 1487), or have proposed an oxonium ion structure that must arise via a rearrangement involving a 1,2 hydride shift (Cataldi TRI, Bianco G, Abate S, Mattia D. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2009; 23: 3465). Here DFT calculations on a model system are used to examine potential mechanisms for the formation of the major product ion of AdoMet. These calculations suggest that a neighbouring group mechanism is preferred over a 1,2 hydride shift mechanism.

The fragmentation of tryptophan (Trp) – metal complexes [Trp+M]+, where M = Cs, K, Na, Li and Ag, induced by 22 eV energy electrons was compared to [Trp+H]+. Additional insights were obtained through the study of collision-induced dissociation (CID) of [Trp+M]+ and through deuterium labelling. The electron-induced dissociation (EID) of [Trp+M]+ resulted in the formation of radical cations via the following pathways: (i) loss of M to form Trp+•, (ii) loss of an H atom to form [(Trp-H)+M]+•, and (iii) bond homolysis to form C2H4NO2M+•. Deuterium labelling suggests that H atom loss can occur from heteroatom and/or C–H positions. Other types of fragment ions observed include: C9H7NM+, C9H8N+, M+, C2H3NO2M+, CO2M+, C10H11N2M+, C10H9NOM+. Formation of C2H4NO2M+• and C9H7NM+ cations suggests that the metal interacts with both the backbone and aromatic side chain, thus implicating π-interactions for all M. CID of [Trp+M]+ resulted in: loss of metal cation (for M = Cs and K); successive loss of NH3 and CO as the dominant channel for M = Na, Li and Ag; formation of C2H3NO2M+. Preliminary DFT calculations were carried out on [Trp+Na]+ and [(Trp-H)+Na]+• which reveal that: the most stable conformation involves chelation by the backbone together with a \(\pi \)-interaction with the indole side chain; loss of H atom from \(\alpha \)-CH of the side chain is thermodynamically favoured over losses from other positions, with the resultant radical cation maintaining a (N, O, ring) chelated structure which is stabilized by conjugation.

The [M21+2H]2+ cluster of the zwitterion betaine, M = (CH3)3NCH2CO2, formed via electrospray ionisation (ESI), has been allowed to interact with electrons with energies ranging from >0 to 50 eV in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer. The types of gas-phase electron-induced dissociation (EID) reactions observed are dependent on the energy of the electrons. In the low-energy region up to 10 eV, electrons are mainly captured, forming the charge-reduced species, {[M21+2H]+*}*, in an excited state, which stabilises via the ejection of an H atom and one or more neutral betaines. In the higher energy region, above 12 eV, a Coulomb explosion of the multiply charged clusters is observed in highly asymmetric fission with singly charged fragments carrying away more than 70% of the parent mass. Neutral betaine evaporation is also observed in this energy region. In addition, a series of singly charged fragments appears which arise from C-X bond cleavage reactions, including decarboxylation and CH3 group transfer. These latter reactions may arise from access of electronic excited states of the precursor ions.

Incubation of the histidine-containing peptides (GH, HG, GGH, GHG, HGG) and methionine-containing peptides (GM, MG, GGM, GMG, MGG) with the platinum complexes [Pt(terpy)Cl](+) (A) and [Pt(dien)Cl](+) (B) followed by electrospray ionisation (ESI) led to a number of singly and doubly charged ternary platinum peptide complexes, including [Pt(L)M](2+) and [Pt(L)M-H](+) (where L = the ligand terpy or dien; M is a peptide). Each of the [Pt(L)M](2+) complexes was subjected to electron capture dissociation (ECD), collision-induced dissociation (CID) and electron-induced dissociation (EID), while each of the [Pt(L)M-H](+) complexes was subjected to CID and EID. Results from ECD suggest that the free electron is captured by the metal ion thus weakening the bonds to its ligands. In the case of the ligand terpy, which binds more strongly than dien, this weakening leads to the loss of the peptide. The minor products in the ECD spectra of [Pt(terpy)M](2+) complexes do show fragmentation along the peptide backbone, but the ions observed are of the a-, b-, and y-type. For the complexes with methionine-containing peptides, a marker ion, [Pt(L)SCH(3)](+), was found which is indicative of binding of Pt to the methionine side chain. For the histidine-containing peptides, an ion containing platinum, the auxiliary ligand, and the histidine imine was observed in many instances, thus indicating the binding of the histidine side chain to the metal, but other modes of Pt coordination (N-terminus) were also found to be competitive. These findings are consistent with a recent finding (Sze et al. J. Biol. Inorg. Chem. 2009; 14: 163) that Pt occupies the methionine-rich copper(I)-binding site rather than histidine-rich copper(II)-binding site in the CopC protein.

The collision-induced dissociation (CID) and electron-induced dissociation (EID) spectra of the [(NaCl)(m)(Na)(n)](n+) clusters of sodium chloride have been examined in a hybrid linear ion trap Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. For singly charged cluster ions (n = 1), mass spectra for CID and EID of the precursor exhibit clear differences, which become more pronounced for the larger cluster ions. Whereas CID yields fewer product ions, EID produces all possible [(NaCl)(x)Na](+) product ions. In the case of doubly charged cluster ions, EID again leads to a larger variety of product ions. In addition, doubly charged product ions have been observed due to loss of neutral NaCl unit(s). For example, EID of [(NaCl)(11)(Na)(2)](2+) leads to formation of [(NaCl)(10)(Na)(2)](2+), which appears to be the smallest doubly charged cluster of sodium chloride observed experimentally to date. The most abundant product ions in EID spectra are predominantly magic number cluster ions. Finally, [(NaCl)(m)(Na)(2)](+*) radical cations, formed via capture of low-energy electrons, fragment via the loss of [(NaCl)(n)(Na)](*) radical neutrals.

Surface-induced dissociation and reactions of singly-charged ions C 7 H n + ( n = 8, 7) and of doubly-charged ions C 7 H n 2+ ( n = 8, 7, 6), produced by electron ionization of toluene, with hydrocarbon-covered stainless steel surface have been investigated in the incident energy range from 5 to 50 eV. The mass-selected beam of projectile ion was focused onto the surface under 45° and product ions reflected were monitored using a TOF mass spectrometer. The relative abundance of product ions was determined in dependence on incident projectile-ion energy (collision-energy resolved mass spectra, CERMS curves). An important process in surface collisions of the dications is single-electron exchange with the surface and formation of monocation intermediates. Comparison of the mass spectra of the incident cations and dications made it possible to elucidate major reaction pathways.

International audience; Soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been used to investigate the radiosensitizer nimorazole and related model compounds. We report the valence and C, N, and O 1s photoemission spectra and K-edge NEXAFS spectra of gas-phase nimorazole, 1-methyl-5-nitroimidazole, and 4(5)-nitroimidazole in combination with theoretical calculations. The valence band and core level spectra are in agreement with theory. We determine the equilibrium populations of the two tautomers in 4(5)-nitroimidazole and find a ratio of 1:0.7 at 390 K. The NEXAFS spectra of the studied nitroimidazoles show excellent agreement with spectra of compounds available in the literature that exhibit a similar chemical environment. By comparing 1-methyl-5-nitroimidazole (single tautomer) with 4(5)-nitroimidazole, we are able to disentangle the photoemission and photoabsorption spectra and identify features due to each single tautomer.

Non-covalent amino acid clusters are the subject of intense research in diverse areas including peptide bond formation studies or the determination of proton affinities or methylating abilities of amino acids. However, most of the research has focused on positive ions and little is known about anionic clusters.Fragmentation reactions of deprotonated tryptophan (Trp), [Trp-H](-) and Trp singly deprotonated non-covalently bound clusters [Trp(n) -H](-), n = 2, 3, 4, were investigated using low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) with He atoms, high-energy CID with Na atoms, and electron-induced dissociation (EID) with 20-35 eV electrons. Fragmentation of the monomeric Trp anion, where all labile hydrogens were exchanged for deuterium [d(4) -Trp-D](-), was investigated using low-energy CID and EID, in order to shed light on the dissociation mechanisms.The main fragmentation channel for Trp cluster anions, [Trp(n) -H](-), n1, is the loss of the neutral monomer. The fragmentation of the deprotonated Trp monomer induced by electrons resembles the fragmentation induced by high-energy collisions through electronic excitation of the parent. However, the excitation must precede in a different way, shown through only monomer loss from larger clusters, n1, in case of EID, but intracluster chemistry in the case of high-energy CID.The anion of the indole ring C(8)H(6) N(-) has been identified in the product ion spectra of [Trp(n) -H](-) using all activation methods, thus providing a diagnostic marker ion. No evidence was found for formation of peptide bonds as a route to prebiotic peptides in the fragmentation reactions of these singly deprotonated Trp cluster ions.

International audience; Proton transfer (PT) from protonated pyridine to water molecules is observed after excitation of microhydrated protonated pyridine (Py) clusters PyH+(H2O)(n) (n=0-5) is induced by a single collision with an Ar atom at high incident velocity (95x10(3)ms(-1)). Besides the fragmentation channel associated with the evaporation of water molecules, the charged-fragment mass spectrum shows competition between the production of the PyH+ ion (or its corresponding charged fragments) and the production of H+(H2O) or H+(H2O)(2) ions. The increase in the production of protonated water fragments as a function of the number of H2O molecules in the parent cluster ion as well sd the observation of a stable H+(H2O)(2) fragment, even in the case of the dissociation of PyH+(H2O)(2), are evidence of the crucial role of PT in the relaxation process, even for a small number of solvating water molecules.

International audience; Guanine radical cations are formed upon oxidation of DNA. Deoxyguanosine (dG) is used as a model, and the gas-phase infrared (IR) spectroscopic signature and gas-phase unimolecular and bimolecular chemistry of its radical cation, dG˙+, A, which is formed via direct electrospray ionisation (ESI/MS) of a methanolic solution of Cu(NO3)2 and dG, are examined. Quantum chemistry calculations have been carried out on 28 isomers and comparisons between their calculated IR spectra and the experimentally-measured spectra suggest that A exists as the ground-state keto tautomer. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of A proceeds via cleavage of the glycosidic bond, while its ion–molecule reactions with amine bases occur via a number of pathways including hydrogen-atom abstraction, proton transfer and adduct formation. A hidden channel, involving isomerisation of the radical cation via adduct formation, is revealed through the use of two stages of CID, with the final stage of CID showing the loss of CH2O as a major fragmentation pathway from the reformed radical cation, dG˙+. Quantum chemistry calculations on the unimolecular and bimolecular reactivity are also consistent with A being present as a ground-state keto tautomer.

International audience; The velocity distribution of water molecules evaporated from a mass-selected protonated water nanodroplet after a collision-induced electronic excitation is reported. In their Communication (DOI: 10.1002/anie.201505890), M. Farizon et al. show that besides the Maxwell–Boltzmann statistics behavior, a distinct high-velocity contribution provides evidence for molecular evaporation before complete energy redistribution, corresponding to non-ergodic events.

International audience; Low-energy electrons (0–8 eV) effectively decompose 4-nitroimidazole (4NI) and the two methylated isomers 1-methyl-5-nitroimidazole and 1-methyl-4-nitroimidazole via dissociative electron attachment (DEA). The involved unimolecular decompositions range from simple bond cleavages (loss of H•, formation of NO2–) to complex reactions possibly leading to a complete degradation of the target molecule (formation of CN–, etc.). At energies below 2 eV, the entire rich chemistry induced by DEA is completely quenched by methylation, as demonstrated in a previous communication (Tanzer, K.; Feketeová, L.; Puschnigg, B.; Scheier, P.; Illenberger. E.; Denifl, S. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed.2014, 53, 12240). The observation that in 4NI neutral radicals and radical anions are formed via DEA at high efficiency already at threshold (0 eV) may have significant implications for the development of nitroimidazole-based radiosensitizers in tumor radiation therapy.

Collisions of cations and dications C 7 H 8 +/2+ , C 7 H 7 +/2+ , and C 7 H 6 2+ generated by electron ionization of toluene with a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surface were investigated in scattering experiments at the incident energy of 25.3 eV, incident angle of 60° (with respect to the surface normal) and at surface temperatures of 300 and 900 K. The survival probability of ions was rather large, about 10% for the cations and about twice as large for the dications. Only singly-charged ions were observed in the mass spectra of product ions for both singly- and doubly-charged incident ions. In agreement with earlier conclusion of Cooks et al., the primary process in surface collisions of the dications is a single-charge exchange between the approaching dication and the surface at larger distances; hence, the mass spectrum of product ions in fact results from surface interactions of internally excited monocations. This scenario is also supported by measured translational energy distributions and angular distributions of the major product ions which are very similar for both dication- and cation-collisions. Two mechanisms of formation for the fragment ions observed are suggested: either via unimolecular decomposition of the inelastically scattered projectile ion or via decay of the protonated projectile formed by endoergic hydrogen transfer from the surface hydrocarbons to the projectile ion. The translational energy distributions of ions originating from dissociation of the surface-excited projectile ions peak at higher energies than those of the ions resulting from decomposition of surface-protonated precursor ions.

Interaction of C 2 H n + (n = 2-5) hydrocarbon ions and some of their isotopic variants with room-temperature and heated (600 °C) highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surfaces was investigated over the range of incident energies 11-46 eV and an incident angle of 60° with respect to the surface normal. The work is an extension of our earlier research on surface interactions of CH n + (n = 3-5) ions. Mass spectra, translational energy distributions, and angular distributions of product ions were measured. Collisions with the HOPG surface heated to 600 °C showed only partial or substantial dissociation of the projectile ions; translational energy distributions of the product ions peaked at about 50% of the incident energy. Interactions with the HOPG surface at room temperature showed both surface-induced dissociation of the projectiles and, in the case of radical cation projectiles C 2 H 2 + and C 2 H 4 + , chemical reactions with the hydrocarbons on the surface. These reactions were (i) H-atom transfer to the projectile, formation of protonated projectiles, and their subsequent fragmentation and (ii) formation of a carbon chain build-up product in reactions of the projectile ion with a terminal CH 3 -group of the surface hydrocarbons and subsequent fragmentation of the product ion to C 3 H 3 + . The product ions were formed in inelastic collisions in which the translational energy of the surface-excited projectile peaked at about 32% of the incident energy. Angular distributions of reaction products showed peaking at subspecular angles close to 68° (heated surfaces) and 72° (room-temperature surfaces). The absolute survival probability at the incident angle of 60° was about 0.1% for C 2 H 2 + , close to 1% for C 2 H 4 + and C 2 H 5 + , and about 3-6% for C 2 H 3 + .

Low-energy electrons (LEEs) at energies of less than 2 eV effectively decompose 4-nitroimidazole (4NI) by dissociative electron attachment (DEA). The reactions include simple bond cleavages but also complex reactions involving multiple bond cleavages and formation of new molecules. Both simple and complex reactions are associated with pronounced sharp features in the anionic yields, which are interpreted as vibrational Feshbach resonances acting as effective doorways for DEA. The remarkably rich chemistry of 4NI is completely blocked in 1-methyl-4-nitroimidazole (Me4NI), that is, upon methylation of 4NI at the N1 site. These remarkable results have also implications for the development of nitroimidazole based radiosensitizers in tumor radiation therapy.

Electron-capture in collisions of singly charged protonated water cluster H+(H2O)3, ions with Ar atoms is studied at the impact energy of 8 keV in the frame of the COrrelated Ion and Neutral fragments Time-Of-Flight, COINTOF, technique. In contrast to methods based only on the detection of the charged fragments, dissociation induced by collisional-excitation and electron-capture induced dissociation can be simultaneously recorded in the present set-up. The time of flight measurements of both the neutral and the corresponding charged species resulting from the charge-exchange process provide a direct observation of the dissociation of the neutralized protonated water cluster. Thus, the present COINTOF method provides new valuable insights into the collision process through the detection of produced neutral fragments. Moreover, it opens new possibilities to measure kinetic energy release also in the dissociation of the produced neutrals, which is our future endeavour in the development of the presented COINTOF set up.

Radiosensitizers are used in radiotherapy to enhance tumour control of radioresistant hypoxic tumours. While the detailed mechanism of radiosensitization is still unknown, the formation of radical anions is believed to be a key step. Thus understanding the ionization reactions of radiosensitizers is crucial in evaluating the radiosensitization potential and in developing new and more effective drugs. The present work investigates the negative and positive electrospray ionization and subsequent collision-induced dissociation and electron-induced dissociation reactions of ions derived from nimorazole, misonidazole and related compounds using a hybrid linear ion trap – Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance mass spectrometer (Finnigan-LTQ-FT). A key finding is that negative electrospray ionization of these radiosensitizers leads to the formation of radical anions, allowing their fragmentation reactions to be probed for the first time.

Oxidative damage to DNA yields guanine radical cations. Their gas-phase IR spectroscopic signature and acidity have been modelled by the radical cation of 9-methylguanine. Comparisons with quantum chemistry calculations suggest that radical cation formation produces the ground-state keto tautomer, which has an N-H acidity enhanced by ~470 kJ mol(-1).

The human metallo-chaperone protein Atox1 features a high affinity Cu(I) binding site Cys(12)GlyGlyCys(15) (KD = 10(-17.4) M at pH 7.0) and delivers copper to the trans-Golgi network (TGN). Atox1 may participate in the metabolism of the drug cis-Pt(NH3)2Cl2 (cisplatin), either as a component of its delivery to the nucleus or of its loss via transport to the TGN and beyond. The species of stoichiometry [Pt(NH3)2(Atox1)] was the sole adduct of stoichiometry Pt : Atox1 = 1 : 1 detected by mass spectrometry under non-denaturing conditions from solutions containing cisplatin and apo-Atox1. The ions [Atox1 + Pt(NH3)2(2+) + (z - 2)H(+)](z+) (z = 3 to 7) were observed and correspond to different protonation states of the 1 : 1 adduct. Adducts of stoichiometry Pt : Atox1 = 2 : 1 were also detected but 1 : 2 adducts were not detected. The related complex Pt(en)Cl2 (en = 1,2-diaminoethane) behaved similarly. Tandem mass spectrometry experiments using top-down and bottom-up sequencing techniques were carried out, respectively, on the intact platinated protein and on platinated peptides formed from proteolysis by trypsin. A new software programme (PolyCut) designed to analyse the complex high-resolution tandem mass spectra of fragment ions derived from proteins containing transition metal ions was applied to establish the binding site(s) of the platinum atom(s). The analysis, based on the entire isotope patterns, is consistent with the cysteine residues in the Cu(I)-binding sequence Cys(12)GlyGlyCys(15) being the primary coordination site.

The intrinsic methylating abilities of the known biological methylating zwitterionic agents, dimethylsulfonioacetate (DMSA), (CH3)2S+CH2CO2− (1) and glycine betaine (GB), (CH3)3N+CH2CO2− (2), have been examined via a range of gas phase experiments involving collision-induced dissociation (CID) of their proton-bound homo- and heterodimers, including those containing the amino acid arginine. The relative yields of the products of methyl cation transfer are consistent in all cases and show that protonated DMSA is a more potent methylating agent than protonated GB. Since methylation can occur at more than one site in arginine, the [M + CH3]+ ion of arginine, formed from the heterocluster [DMSA + Arg + H]+, was subject to an additional stage of CID. The resultant CID spectrum is virtually identical to that of an authentic sample of protonated arginine- O-methyl ester but is significantly different to that of an authentic sample of protonated NG-methyl arginine. This suggests that methylation has occurred within a salt bridge complex of [DMSA + Arg + H]+, in which the arginine exists in the zwitterionic form. Finally, density functional theory calculations on the model salts, (CH3CO2−)[(CH3)3S+] and (CH3CO2−)[(CH3)4N+], show that methylation of CH3CO2− by (CH3)3S+ is both kinetically and thermodynamically preferred over methylation by (CH3)4N+.

Electrospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry experiments have been used to study the fragmentation and electron-ion interactions of doubly charged zwitterionic clusters, [M(15) + 2H](2+) (where M = Glycine Betaine (GB), (CH(3))(3)N(+)CH(2)CO(2)(-), and Dimethylsulfonioacetate (DMSA), (CH(3))(2)S(+)CH(2)CO(2)(-)) which are close to the stability limit, i.e., the Coulomb repulsion of the charge within the cluster competes with attractive forces. The intercluster chemistry was studied using collision-induced dissociation (CID) and electron-induced dissociation (EID) in which the energy of the electrons has been varied from >0 to 30 eV. Experimental results suggest that the zwitterionic binding energy in the clusters follow the order GB > DMSA, which is consistent with theoretical calculations that highlight that the lower dipole moment of DMSA leads to a binding energy of DMSA that is 0.86 times smaller than that for GB. Multiply protonated clusters of both GB and DMSA dissociate through Coulomb explosion, which is in competition with neutral evaporation for DMSA. Electronic excitation of the cluster under EID conditions at higher electron energies >12 eV can lead to new intercluster reactions associated with bond cleavages where differences between the sulfur and nitrogen betaines are minor.

The fixed charge zwitterionic sulfur betaines dimethylsulfonioacetate (DMSA) (CH(3))(2)S(+)CH(2)CO(2)(-) and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) (CH(3))(2)S(+)(CH(2))(2)CO(2)(-) have been synthesized and the structures of their protonated salts (CH(3))(2)S(+)CH(2)CO(2)H···Cl(-) [DMSA.HCl] and (CH(3))(2)S(+)(CH(2))(2)CO(2)H···Pcr(-) [DMSP.HPcr] (where Pcr = picrate) have been characterized using X-ray crystallography. The unimolecular chemistry of the [M+H](+) of these betaines was studied using two techniques; collision-induced dissociation (CID) and electron-induced dissociation (EID) in a hybrid linear ion trap Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. Results from the CID study show a richer series of fragmentation reactions for the shorter chain betaine and contrasting main fragmentation pathways. Thus while (CH(3))(2)S(+)(CH(2))(2)CO(2)H fragments via a neighbouring group reaction to generate (CH(3))(2)S(+)H and the neutral lactone as the most abundant fragmentation channel, (CH(3))(2)S(+)CH(2)CO(2)H fragments via a 1,2 elimination reaction to generate CH(3)S(+)=CH(2) as the most abundant fragment ion. To gain insights into these fragmentation reactions, DFT calculations were carried out at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,p) level of theory. For (CH(3))(2)S(+)CH(2)CO(2)H, the lowest energy pathway yields CH(3)S(+)=CH(2)via a six-membered transition state. The two fragment ions observed in CID of (CH(3))(2)S(+)(CH(2))(2)CO(2)H are shown to share the same transition state and ion-molecule complex forming either (CH(3))(2)S(+)H or (CH(2))(2)CO(2)H(+). Finally, EID shows a rich and relatively similar fragmentation channels for both protonated betaines, with radical cleavages being observed, including loss of ˙CH(3).

Experiments are reported that show currents of low energy (“cold”) electrons pass unattenuated through crystalline ice at 135 K for energies between zero and 650 meV, up to the maximum studied film thickness of 430 bilayers, showing negligible apparent trapping. By contrast, both porous amorphous ice and compact crystalline ice at 40 K show efficient electron trapping. Ice at intermediate temperatures reveals metastable trapping that decays within a few hundred seconds at 110 K. Our results are the first to demonstrate full transmission of cold electrons in high temperature water ice and the phenomenon of temperature-dependent trapping.

Electrospray ionization (ESI) of tryptophan gives rise to multiply charged, non-covalent tryptophan cluster anions, [Trp(n)-xH](x-), in a linear ion trap mass spectrometer, as confirmed by high-resolution experiments performed on a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer. The smallest multiply charged clusters that can be formed in the linear ion trap as a function of charge state are: x = 2, n = 7; x = 3, n = 16; x = 4, n = 31. The fragmentation of the dianionic cluster [Trp(9)-2H](2-) was examined via low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID), ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) at 266 nm and electron-induced dissociation (EID) at electron energies ranging from0 to 30 eV. CID proceeds mostly via charge separation and evaporation of neutral tryptophan. The smallest doubly charged cluster that can be formed via evaporation of neutral tryptophans is [Trp(7)-2H](2-), consistent with the observation of this cluster in the ESI mass spectrum. UVPD gives singly charged tryptophan clusters ranging from n = 2 to n = 9. The latter ion arises from ejection of an electron to give the radical anion cluster, [Trp(9)-2H](-·). The types of gas-phase EID reactions observed are dependent on the energy of the electrons. Loss of neutral tryptophan is an important channel at lower energies, with the smallest doubly charged ion, [Trp(7)-2H](2-), being observed at 19.8 eV. Coulomb explosion starts to occur at 19.8 eV to form the singly charged cluster ions [Trp(x)-H](-) (x = 1-8) via highly asymmetric fission. At 21.8 eV a small amount of [Trp(2)-H-NH(3)](-) is observed. Thus CID, UVPD and EID are complementary techniques for the study of the fragmentation reactions of cluster ions.