Photoionization and Vibrational Spectroscopy of the Aniline−Methanol Clusters

Structures and infrared photodissociation of [(aniline)-(methanol)-(water)2]. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2019;220:117119. [PMID: 31141781 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2019.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

The structures of [(aniline)-(methanol)-(water)₂]⁺ were investigated by infrared spectroscopy coupled with linear tandem mass spectrometry. We suggest the most stable structure of [(aniline)-(methanol)-(water)₂]⁺ through infrared photodissociation spectra supported by the density functional theory calculations at the level of ωB97X-D/cc-pVQZ. Methanol and one water molecule formed hydrogen bonding with the amino group of aniline, while the other water formed hydrogen bonding with methanol. Upon infrared excitation of [(aniline)-(methanol)-(water)₂]⁺, the water molecule connected to methanol turned out to be preferentially ejected, although the total internal energy in the cluster ion was large enough to dissociate other solvent molecules. This unique dissociation feature was attributed to the significant difference in the dissociation rates as obtained by the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory calculations as well as structural restriction.

Structures of aniline(pyrrole)+, aniline(ethanol)+, and aniline-(benzene). SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2018;204:665-669. [PMID: 29982157 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

Molecular structures of aniline(pyrrole)⁺, aniline(ethanol)⁺, and aniline(benzene)⁺ produced via resonance two-photon ionization at 266 nm were analyzed by infrared predissociation spectroscopy coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Structural optimization and frequency calculation using density functional theory were carried out to suggest the most probable isomers which are in good agreement with the observed infrared absorption spectra. Intermolecular bonds in the cluster ions were formed such that the electronegative oxygen atom of the solvent molecule or the pi electron of the aromatic ring forms a hydrogen bonding to NH of aniline.

UV-Vis, Fluorescence, and Resonance Raman Spectroscopic and Density Functional Theoretical Studies on 3-Amino-1,2,4-triazole: Microsolvation and Solvent-Dependent Nonadiabatic Excited State Decay in Solution

The microsolvation and photophysics of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (3AT) after excitation to the light-absorbing S₂(nπ*) state were studied by using resonance Raman spectroscopy and single component artificial force-induced reaction (SC-AFIR) in a global reaction route mapping (GRRM) strategy. The vibrational spectra were assigned on the basis of experimental data and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The resonance Raman spectra of 3AT were measured to probe the excited state structural dynamics in the Franck-Condon region. The conformations of 3AT(CH₃CN)₁, 3AT(CH₃OH)₂, and 3AT(H₂O)₂ clusters were determined by combining vibrational spectrum experiments and B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) computations. DFT calculations were carried out to obtain the minimal excitation energies of the lower-lying singlet excited states, and the curve-crossing points. It was revealed that the short-time structural dynamics of 3AT were dominated by the N-N stretching coordinates. An excited state decay mechanism is proposed: 3AT is initially excited to the S₂(nπ*) state, then the conical intersection (CI) of the S₂(nπ*)/S₁(ππ*) potential energy surfaces is crossed, and 3AT then decays to the lower solvent-dependent excited state S₁(ππ*). It subsequently returns to the S₀ state, accompanied by a large Stokes fluorescence shift, which was interpreted as the stabilized S₁(ππ*) excited state bonding to several water molecules via intermolecular hydrogen bonding.

Mass resolved IR spectroscopy of aniline–water aggregates

Aniline is the simplest aromatic amine and therefore it is a prototypical system to study the microhydration and excited state dynamics of aromatic amines.

Mass-selected IR-VUV (118 nm) spectroscopic studies of radicals, aliphatic molecules, and their clusters

Mass-selected IR plus UV/VUV spectroscopy and mass spectrometry have been coupled into a powerful technique to investigate chemical, physical, structural, and electronic properties of radicals, molecules, and clusters. Advantages of the use of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation to create ions for mass spectrometry are its application to nearly all compounds with ionization potentials below the energy of a single VUV photon, its circumventing the requirement of UV chromophore group, its inability to ionize background gases, and its greatly reduced fragmenting capabilities. In this review, mass-selected IR plus VUV (118 nm) spectroscopy is introduced first in a general manner. Selected application examples of this spectroscopy are presented, which include the detections and structural analysis of radicals, molecules, and molecular clusters in a supersonic jet.

Infrared predissociation of ternary cluster cations: the solvent effects on the branching ratio

Infrared (IR) predissociation of hydrogen-bonded ternary cluster ions such as aniline-water-ethanol (AWE(+)), aniline-water-isopropanol (AWP(+)), aniline-methanol-ethanol (AME(+)), aniline-water-pyrrole (AWPy(+)), and aniline-water-benzene (AWB(+)) was examined in the region of 2700-4000 cm(-1) to explore the key factors which determine the branching ratios in the concurrent unimolecular dissociation. The smaller solvent molecule was predominantly ejected when the binding energies of the two were not too different. On the other hand, when they were far off, the binding energy also acted significantly on the branching ratio. Besides, mode-selective IR predissociation was observed, while the selectivity was not quite distinct. The IR predissociation of ternary cluster ions bound via hydrogen bonding is considered to occur on a time scale much faster than intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution, which was proved by a statistical transition state theory.

Laser desorption postionization for imaging MS of biological material

Vacuum ultraviolet single photon ionization (VUV SPI) is a soft ionization technique that has the potential to address many of the limitations of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) for imaging MS. Laser desorption postionization (LDPI) uses VUV SPI for postionization and is experimentally analogous to a MALDI instrument with the addition of a pulsed VUV light source. This review discusses progress in LDPI-MS over the last decade, with an emphasis on imaging MS of bacterial biofilms, analytes whose high salt environment make them particularly resistant to imaging by MALDI-MS. This review first considers fundamental aspects of VUV SPI including ionization mechanisms, cross sections, quantum yields of ionization, dissociation and potential mass limits. The most common sources of pulsed VUV radiation are then described along with a newly constructed LDPI-MS instrument with imaging capabilities. Next, the detection and imaging of small molecules within intact biofilms is demonstrated by LDPI-MS using 7.87 eV (157.6 nm) VUV photons from a molecular fluorine excimer laser, followed by the use of aromatic tags for detection of selected species within the biofilm. The final section considers the future prospects for imaging intact biological samples by LDPI-MS.