Quantum Optics, Quantum Nanophysics, Quantum Information > Research > Molecular Beam Methods > Large Neutral Alkaline-Earth Metal Tryptophan Complexes
Large Neutral Alkaline-Earth Metal Tryptophan Complexes
We report on the first observation of isolated large neutral metal
amino acid complexes such as TrpnMek, with Me = Ca, Ba, Sr, cluster
combinations covering n = 1. . .33, k = 0..2 and masses beyond 6500 u.
The cluster beam is generated using UV laser desorption from a mixed
powder of alkaline-earth metal salts and tryptophan inside a cluster
mixing channel. The particles are detected using VUV photoionization
followed by time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. The enhanced stability
of metal amino acid clusters over pure amino acid clusters is
substantiated in molecular dynamics simulations by determining
the gain in binding energy related to the inclusion of the metal atoms.
(J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 2008, 19, 1021–1026) ©
