The infrared absorption spectrum of oxygen-18-labeled glycine

Glycine-assisted evolution of palygorskite via a one-step hydrothermal process to give an efficient adsorbent for capturing Pb(ii) ions

As the materials of “green 21^st century material worlds”, natural silicates have received unprecedented attention by virtue of their abundance, low-cost, stability, and non-toxic and eco-friendly nature compared to other synthetic materials.

Multiple-turnover isotopic labeling of Fmoc- and Boc-protected amino acids with oxygen isotopes

An efficient method for the selective isotopic labeling of carboxylic acids is reported. By reacting an amino acid with excess carbodiimide and (18)OH(2), a kinetically enhanced multiple turnover reaction provides the (18)O-labeled product in high yield and excellent isotopic enrichment. This reaction is fully compatible with standard Fmoc, Boc, Trt, and OtBu protecting groups and provides a means to selectively label the alpha-carboxylic acids of functionalized amino acids with stable oxygen isotopes.

Polarised IR and Raman spectra of the gamma-glycine single crystal

Complete (full) set of the polarised IR and Raman spectra for the gamma-glycine single crystal at room temperature are presented. The polarised IR spectra were measured by the specular reflection method and the spectra of the imaginary parts of the refractive indices were computed by Kramers-Kronig transformation. The polarised properties of the bands are discussed with respect to the normal coordinate analysis (literature data) and diffraction crystal data (oriented gas model approximation). A very good agreement between the polarised properties of the bands and simple models of vibrations are observed for the stretching vibrations of the CH2 and COO- group. It is not the case for most of the deformation vibrations of the carboxylic group and of the skeleton. The polarization properties of the stretching vibrations of the NH3+ group are determined by their hydrogen bondings.

Adsorption and thermal condensation mechanisms of amino acids on oxide supports. 1. Glycine on silica

Glycine was adsorbed on the surface of a well-defined silica from aqueous solutions of variable concentrations and pHs. The adsorbed molecules were characterized using middle-IR and UV-vis-NIR spectroscopies. Except at the lowest pH (2.0), they were predominantly present on the surface as zwitterions. Two successive deposition mechanisms were evidenced with increasing glycine concentration. At low concentrations, glycine is specifically adsorbed on silica surface sites, probably through its NH3+ moiety. The pH dependence suggests that these sites may be silanolate groups (approximately equal to Si-O-). At higher concentrations, specific adsorption sites are saturated and surface-induced precipitation of beta-glycine is observed. The thermal reactivity of adsorbed/deposited glycine was then investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, in situ diffuse reflectance IR spectroscopy, and thermoprogrammed desorption coupled with mass spectrometry. Adsorbed glycine molecules react to form peptide bonds at a temperature considerably lower than that for bulk crystalline alpha-glycine. The main reaction product is the cyclic dimer diketopiperazine, with no evidence of the linear dimer. The activation mechanism is not diffusionally limited; the formation of "surface acyls", previously proposed for related systems, has not been evidenced here. These findings are of relevance for the evaluation of prebiotic peptide synthesis scenarios.

The infrared absorption of amino acid side chains

Amino acid side chains play fundamental roles in stabilising protein structures and in catalysing enzymatic reactions. These fields are increasingly investigated by infrared spectroscopy at the molecular level. To help the interpretation of the spectra, a review of the infrared absorption of amino acid side chains in H(2)O and 2H(2)O is given. The spectral region of 2600-900cm(-1) is covered.