Electron capture by a hydrated gaseous peptide: effects of water on fragmentation and molecular survival

The effects of water on electron capture dissociation products, molecular survival and recombination energy are examined for diprotonated Lys-Tyr-Lys solvated by between zero and 25 water molecules. The reactivity of the peptide is affected by the water molecules by a caging effect, which has increased survival of the intact molecule and has reduced H-atom loss, but has made the loss of an ammonia molecule a competitive process.