A (U)MP2(full) and (U)CCSD(T) theoretical investigation on the substituent effect on the cation–π interactions between Na+ and LCCL (L=H, CH3, OH, F, Cl, CO, NN, CN−, NC− and OH−)

Differential Cationization of Fatty Acids with Monovalent Cations Studied by ESI-MS/MS and Computational Approach

RATIONALE

The intercellular and intracellular transport of charged species (Na+ /K+ ) entail interaction of the ions with neutral organic molecules and formation of adduct ions. The rate of transport of the ions across the cell membrane(s) may depend on the stability of the adduct ions, which in turn rely on structural aspects of the organic molecules that interact with the ions.

METHODS

Positive ion ESI mass spectra were recorded for the solutions containing fatty acids (FAs) and monovalent cations (X=Li+ , Na+ , K+ , Rb+ and Cs+ ). Product ion spectra of the [FA+X]+ ions were recorded at different collision energies. Theoretical studies were exploited under both gas phase and solvent phase to investigate the structural effects of the fatty acids during cationization. Stability of [FA+X]+ adduct ions were further estimated by means of AIM topological analyses and interaction energy (IE) values.

RESULTS

Positive ion ESI-MS analyses of the solution of FAs and X+ ions showed preferential binding of the K+ ions to FAs. The K+ ion binding increased with the increase in number of double bonds of FAs, while decreased with increase in the number of carbons of FAs. Dissociation curves of [FA+X]+ ions indicated the relative stability order of the [FA+X]+ ions and it was in line with the observed trends in ESI-MS. The solvent phase computational studies divulged the mode of binding and the binding efficiencies of different FAs with monovalent cations.

CONCLUSIONS

Among the studied monovalent cations, the cationization of FAs follow the order K+ >>Na+ >Li+ >Rb+ >Cs+ . The docosahexaenoic acid showed high efficiency in binding with K+ ion. The K+ ion binding efficiency of FAs depends on the number of double bonds in unsaturated FAs and the carbon chain length in saturated FAs. The cationization trends of FAs obtained from the ESI-MS, ESI-MS/MS analyses were in good agreement with solvent phase computational studies.

A (U)MP2(full) and (U)CCSD(T) theoretical investigation into the substituent effects on the intermolecular T-shaped F-H...π interactions between HF and LBBL (L = -H, : CO, :NN, -Cl, -CN and -NC)

The substituent effects on the intermolecular T-shaped F-H...π interactions are investigated between HF and LBBL (L = -H, : CO, :NN, -Cl, -CN and -NC) using the (U)MP2(full) and (U)CCSD(T) methods with the 6-311++G(2 d,p) basis set. The B ≡ B triple-bond contraction is found in the complexes with lone-pair-electron donors while the B = B double-bond is lengthened in the systems with the single-electron substituents upon complexation. The T-shaped F-H...π interaction energies follow the order of ClB = BCl...HF>HB = BH...HF>NNB ≡ BNN...HF>OCB ≡ BCO...HF>CNB = BNC...HF>NCB = BCN...HF. The electron-donating substituents : CO and :NN increases electron density of the B ≡ B triple bond by the delocalization interaction E ((2)) π ((CO/NN) → Lp(B)) while the electron-withdrawing substituents -CN and -NC decrease electron density of the B = B double bond by means of the π-π conjugative effect. The analyses of the APT atomic charge, "truncated" model, natural bond orbital (NBO), atoms in molecules (AIM) and electron density shifts reveal the nature of the substituent effect and explain the origin of the B ≡ B bond contraction.