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M Nair A, Leboucher H, Toucouere L, Zamith S, Joblin C, L'Hermite JM, Marciniak A, Simon A. Diversity of protonated mixed pyrene-water clusters investigated by collision induced dissociation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:5947-5961. [PMID: 38294026 PMCID: PMC10866126 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05734h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Protonated mixed pyrene-water clusters, (Py)m(H2O)nH+, where m = [1-3] and n = [1-10], are generated using a cryogenic molecular cluster source. Subsequently, the mass-selected mixed clusters undergo controlled collisions with rare gases, and the resulting fragmentation mass spectra are meticulously analyzed to discern distinct fragmentation channels. Notably, protonated water cluster fragments emerge for n ≥ 3, whereas they are absent for n = 1 and 2. The experimental results are complemented by theoretical calculations of structures and energetics for (Py)(H2O)nH+ with n = [1-4]. These calculations reveal a shift in proton localization, transitioning from the pyrene molecule for n = 1 and 2 to water molecules for n ≥ 3. The results support a formation scenario wherein water molecules attach to protonated pyrene PyH+ seeds, and, by extension, to (Py)2H+ and (Py)3H+ seeds. Various isomers are identified, corresponding to potential protonation sites on the pyrene molecule. Protonated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are likely to be formed in cold, dense interstellar clouds and protoplanetary disks due to the high proton affinity of these species. Our findings show that the presence of protonated PAHs in these environments could lead to the formation of water clusters and mixed carbon-water nanograins, having a potential impact on the water cycle in regions of planet formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arya M Nair
- Laboratoire Collisions Agrégats Réactivité (LCAR/FERMI), UMR5589, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier and CNRS, 118 Route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France.
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, CNRS, CNES, 9 Avenue du Colonel Roche, F-31028 Toulouse, France
| | - Héloïse Leboucher
- Laboratoire de Chimie et Physique Quantiques LCPQ/FERMI, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier and CNRS, 118 Route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Lorris Toucouere
- Laboratoire de Chimie et Physique Quantiques LCPQ/FERMI, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier and CNRS, 118 Route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Sébastien Zamith
- Laboratoire Collisions Agrégats Réactivité (LCAR/FERMI), UMR5589, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier and CNRS, 118 Route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France.
| | - Christine Joblin
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, CNRS, CNES, 9 Avenue du Colonel Roche, F-31028 Toulouse, France
| | - Jean-Marc L'Hermite
- Laboratoire Collisions Agrégats Réactivité (LCAR/FERMI), UMR5589, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier and CNRS, 118 Route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France.
| | - Alexandre Marciniak
- Laboratoire Collisions Agrégats Réactivité (LCAR/FERMI), UMR5589, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier and CNRS, 118 Route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France.
| | - Aude Simon
- Laboratoire de Chimie et Physique Quantiques LCPQ/FERMI, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier and CNRS, 118 Route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France
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Tiefenthaler L, Scheier P, Erdmann E, Aguirre NF, Díaz-Tendero S, Luxford TFM, Kočišek J. Non-ergodic fragmentation upon collision-induced activation of cysteine-water cluster cations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:5361-5371. [PMID: 36647750 PMCID: PMC9930733 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp04172c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Cysteine-water cluster cations Cys(H2O)3,6+ and Cys(H2O)3,6H+ are assembled in He droplets and probed by tandem mass spectrometry with collision-induced activation. Benchmark experimental data for this biologically important system are complemented with theory to elucidate the details of the collision-induced activation process. Experimental energy thresholds for successive release of water are compared to water dissociation energies from DFT calculations showing that clusters do not only fragment exclusively by sequential emission of single water molecules but also by the release of small water clusters. Release of clustered water is observed also in the ADMP (atom centered density matrix propagation) molecular dynamics model of small Cys(H2O)3+ and Cys(H2O)3H+ clusters. For large clusters Cys(H2O)6+ and Cys(H2O)6H+ the less computationally demanding statistical Microcanonical Metropolis Monte-Carlo method (M3C) is used to model the experimental fragmentation patterns. We are able to detail the energy redistribution in clusters upon collision activation. In the present case, about two thirds of the collision energy redistribute via an ergodic process, while the remaining one third is transferred into a non-ergodic channel leading to ejection of a single water molecule from the cluster. In contrast to molecular fragmentation, which can be well described by statistical models, modelling of collision-induced activation of weakly bound clusters requires inclusion of non-ergodic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Tiefenthaler
- Institute for Ion Physics and Applied Physics, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Paul Scheier
- Institute for Ion Physics and Applied Physics, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Ewa Erdmann
- Faculty of Applied Physics and Mathematics, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland.,Departamento de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Sergio Díaz-Tendero
- Departamento de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain. .,Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain.,Institute for Advanced Research in ChemicalSciences (IAdChem), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Thomas F. M. Luxford
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry v.v.i., The Czech Academy of SciencesDolejškova 318223 PragueCzechia
| | - Jaroslav Kočišek
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, 18223 Prague, Czechia.
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