Disentangling the Puzzle of Hydrogen Bonding in Vitamin C

Quantum chemistry meets high-resolution spectroscopy for characterizing the molecular bricks of life in the gas-phase

Computation of accurate geometrical structures and spectroscopic properties of large flexible molecules in the gas-phase is tackled at an affordable cost using a general exploration/exploitation strategy. The most distinctive feature of the approach is the careful selection of different quantum chemical models for energies, geometries and vibrational frequencies with the aim of maximizing the accuracy of the overall description while retaining a reasonable cost for all the steps. In particular, a composite wave-function method is used for energies, whereas a double-hybrid functional (with the addition of core-valence correlation) is employed for geometries and harmonic frequencies and a cheaper hybrid functional for anharmonic contributions. A thorough benchmark based on a wide range of prototypical molecular bricks of life shows that the proposed strategy is close to the accuracy of state-of-the-art composite wave-function methods, and is applicable to much larger systems. A freely available web-utility post-processes the geometries optimized by standard electronic structure codes paving the way toward the accurate yet not prohibitively expensive study of medium- to large-sized molecules by experimentally-oriented researchers.

Effect of gelatin content and oral processing ability on vitamin C release in gummy jelly

In order to investigate the factors affecting the release of vitamin C (VC) in gummy jelly during oral processing, four levels of gelatin (3%, 6%, 9% and 12%) were selected and a bionic chewing robot was employed in chewing experiments. Textural profile analysis showed the hardness of gummy jelly increased from 91.7 N to 198.8 N when the gelatin content was raised from 3 to 12%. Single factor chewing experiment showed that the release of VC was positively correlated with chewing frequency (F_chew) and chewing strain (ST_chew), while negatively correlated with gelatin content, chewing speed (SP_chew) and volume of saliva (V_saliva). Orthogonal chewing experiment showed that the priority of the factors affected the release of VC was following: ST_chew > F_chew > SP_chew > V_saliva. Multivariate linear regression analysis proposed a model to predict the amount of VC released and the goodness-of-fit of the model was 95.7%. The amount of VC released was the highest under the combination of F_chew 12 times, ST_chew 100%, V_saliva 2 ml and SP_chew 40 times/min. The optimal amount of gelatin addition was 6%. This study provided an effective reference for the formula design and chewing mode optimization of gummy jelly.

Barrier to internal rotation, symmetry and carbonyl reactivity in methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate

High-resolution rotational spectroscopy was used to investigate the conformational landscape of methyl-3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate, a small, partially-fluorinated molecule, which is of interest because of its chemical properties and reactivity in contrast to the unfluorinated species. Methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate is also subject to two possible large amplitude motions of the methyl and trifluoromethyl group. However, only the methyl rotor gives rise to the tunneling splitting specific to individual conformers. In the rotational spectrum measured in the frequency region from 6 to 27 GHz, the identified conformers, s-cis and s-trans, were fitted to experimental accuracy, resulting in the accurate determination of the vibrational ground state rotational constants A 0 = 2185.05827 36  MHz ${A}_{0}=2185.05827\left(36\right)\text{\hspace{0.17em}MHz}$ , B 0 = 1023.300   31 17  MHz ${B}_{0}=1023.30031\left(17\right)\text{\hspace{0.17em}MHz}$ , and C 0 = 803.520287 95  MHz ${C}_{0}=803.520287\left(95\right)\text{\hspace{0.17em}MHz}$ for the s-cis conformer, and A 0 = 2706.9024 ( 49 )  MHz ${A}_{0}=2706.9024\left(49\right)\text{\hspace{0.17em}MHz}$ , B 0 = 864.889   539 ( 81 )  MHz ${B}_{0}=864.889539\left(81\right)\text{\hspace{0.17em}MHz}$ , and C 0 = 746.532   896 ( 71 )  MHz ${C}_{0}=746.532896\left(71\right)\text{\hspace{0.17em}MHz}$ for the s-trans conformer. Additionally the barrier heights of the methyl rotor V 3 CH 3 = 363 . 116 94  cm − 1 ${V}_{3}\left({\text{CH}}_{3}\right)=363.116\left(94\right){\text{\hspace{0.17em}cm}}^{-1}$ and V 3 ( CH 3 ) = 389.290 ( 80 )  cm − 1 ${V}_{3}\left({\text{CH}}_{3}\right)=389.290\left(80\right){\text{\hspace{0.17em}cm}}^{-1}$ were obtained for the s-cis and s-trans conformer, respectively.

Quantum-Assisted Metrology of Neutral Vitamins in the Gas Phase

It has recently been shown that matter-wave interferometry can be used to imprint a periodic nanostructure onto a molecular beam, which provides a highly sensitive tool for beam displacement measurements. Herein, we used this feature to measure electronic properties of provitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K1 in the gas phase for the first time. The shift of the matter-wave fringes in a static electric field encodes the molecular susceptibility and the time-averaged dynamic electric dipole moment. The dependence of the fringe pattern on the intensity of the central light-wave diffraction grating was used to determine the molecular optical polarizability. Comparison of our experimental findings with molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory provides a rich picture of the electronic structures and dynamics of these biomolecules in the gas phase with β-carotene as a particularly interesting example.

Structural features of the carbon-sulfur chemical bond: a semi-experimental perspective

In this work semi-experimental and theoretical equilibrium geometries of 10 sulfur-containing organic molecules, as well as 4 oxygenated ones, are determined by means of a computational protocol based on density functional theory. The results collected in the present paper further enhance our online database of accurate semi-experimental equilibrium molecular geometries, adding 13 new molecules containing up to 8 atoms, for 12 of which the first semi-experimental equilibrium structure is reported, to the best of our knowledge. We focus in particular on sulfur-containing compounds, aiming both to provide new accurate data on some rather important chemical moieties, only marginally represented in the literature of the field, and to examine the structural features of carbon-sulfur bonds in the light of the previously presented linear regression approach. The structural changes issuing from substitution of oxygen by sulfur are discussed to get deeper insights on how modifications in electronic structure and nuclear potential can affect equilibrium geometries. With respect to our previous works, we perform non-linear constrained optimizations of equilibrium SE structures with a new general and user-friendly software under development in our group with updated definition of useful statistical indicators.

Nature of intramolecular interactions of vitamin C in view of interacting quantum atoms: the role of hydrogen bond cooperativity on geometry

The conformational analysis of six dihedral angles was calculated by second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) with the correlation-consistent aug-cc-pVDZ basis set. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) was applied to gain a description of the atoms and chemical bonds. A high content of hydroxyl groups in vitamin C's (VC) structure leads to a wide range of intramolecular interactions. The nature of these interactions within the selected VC conformers was studied in view of the interacting quantum atom (IQA) approach. Complete IQA analysis of the atomic and interatomic interaction energies indicated hydrogen bond formation was responsible for the stability of most of the local minima in the potential energy surface. In these conformers, the tandem participation of interactions was operating by way of two- or three-centered (bifurcated) cooperative networks. For the intramolecular hydrogen bond interplay in cooperativity, changes of the IQA atomic and interatomic interaction energies of the participant interactions were monitored during the formation of cooperative networks. The results of the intramolecular cooperativity were evaluated with changes of the delocalization index and bond distances.

The broadband microwave spectra of the monoterpenoids thymol and carvacrol: conformational landscape and internal dynamics

The rotational spectra of the monoterpenoids thymol and carvacrol are reported in the frequency range 2-8.5 GHz, obtained with broadband Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy. For carvacrol four different conformations were identified in the cold conditions of the molecular jet, whereas only three conformations were observed for thymol. The rotational constants and other molecular parameters are reported and compared with quantum chemical calculations. For both molecules, line splittings due to methyl group internal rotation were observed and the resulting barrier heights could be determined. The experimental barrier heights, 4.0863(25) kJ/mol for trans-carvacrol-A, 4.4024(16) kJ/mol for trans-carvacrol-B, and 0.3699(11) kJ/mol for trans-thymol-A, are compared with similar molecules.

Semiexperimental equilibrium structures for building blocks of organic and biological molecules: the B2PLYP route

The B2PLYP double hybrid functional, coupled with the correlation-consistent triple-ζ cc-pVTZ (VTZ) basis set, has been validated in the framework of the semiexperimental (SE) approach for deriving accurate equilibrium structures of molecules containing up to 15 atoms. A systematic comparison between new B2PLYP/VTZ results and several equilibrium SE structures previously determined at other levels, in particular B3LYP/SNSD and CCSD(T) with various basis sets, has put in evidence the accuracy and the remarkable stability of such model chemistry for both equilibrium structures and vibrational corrections. New SE equilibrium structures for phenylacetylene, pyruvic acid, peroxyformic acid, and phenyl radical are discussed and compared with literature data. Particular attention has been devoted to the discussion of systems for which lack of sufficient experimental data prevents a complete SE determination. In order to obtain an accurate equilibrium SE structure for these situations, the so-called templating molecule approach is discussed and generalized with respect to our previous work. Important applications are those involving biological building blocks, like uracil and thiouracil. In addition, for more general situations the linear regression approach has been proposed and validated.

Conformers of β-aminoisobutyric acid probed by jet-cooled microwave and matrix isolation infrared spectroscopic techniques

β-aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA) has been studied in isolation conditions: in the gas phase and trapped into a cryogenic N2 matrix. A solid sample of the compound was vaporized by laser ablation and investigated through their rotational spectra in a supersonic expansion using two different spectroscopic techniques: broadband chirped pulse Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy and conventional molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Four conformers with structures of two types could be successfully identified by comparison of the experimental rotational and (14)N nuclear quadruple coupling constants with those predicted theoretically: type A, bearing an OH⋯N intramolecular hydrogen bond and its carboxylic group in the trans geometry (H-O-C=O dihedral ∼180°), and type B, having an NH⋯O bond and the cis arrangement of the carboxylic group. These two types of conformers could also be trapped from the gas phase into a cryogenic N2 matrix and probed by Fourier transform infrared (IR) spectroscopy. In situ irradiation of BAIBA isolated in N2 matrix of type B conformers using near-IR radiation tuned at the frequency of the O-H stretching 1st overtone (∼6930 cm(-1)) of these forms allowed to selectively convert them into type A conformers and into a new type of conformers of higher energy (type D) bearing an NH⋯O=C bond and a O-H "free" trans carboxylic group.

Accurate Characterization of the Peptide Linkage in the Gas Phase: A Joint Quantum-Chemical and Rotational Spectroscopy Study of the Glycine Dipeptide Analogue

Accurate structures of aminoacids in the gas phase have been obtained by joint microwave and quantum-chemical investigations. However, the structure and conformational behavior of α-aminoacids once incorporated into peptide chains are completely different and have not yet been characterized with the same accuracy. To fill this gap, we present here an accurate characterization of the simplest dipeptide analogue (N-acetyl-glycinamide) involving peptidic bonds. State-of-the-art quantum-chemical computations are complemented by a comprehensive study of the rotational spectrum using a combination of Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy with laser ablation. The coexistence of the C7 and C5 conformers has been proved and energetically as well as spectroscopically characterized. This joint theoretical-experimental investigation demonstrated the feasibility of obtaining accurate structures for flexible small biomolecules, thus paving the route to the elucidation of the inherent behavior of peptides.

Accurate molecular structure and spectroscopic properties of nucleobases: a combined computational-microwave investigation of 2-thiouracil as a case study

The computational composite scheme purposely set up for accurately describing the electronic structure and spectroscopic properties of small biomolecules has been applied to the first study of the rotational spectrum of 2-thiouracil. The experimental investigation was made possible thanks to the combination of the laser ablation technique with Fourier transform microwave spectrometers. The joint experimental-computational study allowed us to determine the accurate molecular structure and spectroscopic properties of the title molecule, but more importantly, it demonstrates a reliable approach for the accurate investigation of isolated small biomolecules.

A direct digital synthesis chirped pulse Fourier transform microwave spectrometer

Chirped pulse Fourier transform microwave (CP-FTMW) spectrometers have become the instrument of choice for acquiring rotational spectra, due to their high sensitivity, fast acquisition rate, and large bandwidth. Here we present the design and capabilities of a recently constructed CP-FTMW spectrometer using direct digital synthesis (DDS) as a new method for chirped pulse generation, through both a suite of extensive microwave characterizations and deep averaging of the 10-14 GHz spectrum of jet-cooled acetone. The use of DDS is more suited for in situ applications of CP-FTMW spectroscopy, as it reduces the size, weight, and power consumption of the chirp generation segment of the spectrometer all by more than an order of magnitude, while matching the performance of traditional designs. The performance of the instrument was further improved by the use of a high speed digitizer with dedicated signal averaging electronics, which facilitates a data acquisition rate of 2.1 kHz.

Seven Conformers of Neutral Dopamine Revealed in the Gas Phase

The rotational spectrum of neutral dopamine has been investigated for the first time using a combination of Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy with laser ablation. The parameters extracted from the analysis of the spectrum unequivocally identify the existence of seven conformers of dopamine. (14)N nuclear quadrupole coupling interactions have been used to determine the orientation of the amino group probing the existence of stabilizing N-H···π interactions for all observed conformers.