Solution and gas-phase acidities of all-trans (all-E) retinoic acid: an experimental and computational study.

Retinoic acid is of fundamental biological importance. Its acidity was determined in the gas phase and in acetonitrile solution by means of mass spectrometry and UV/Vis spectrophotometry, respectively. The intrinsic acidity is slightly higher than that of benzoic acid. In solution, the situation is opposite. The experimental systems were described theoretically applying quantum chemical methods (wave function theory and density functional theory). This allowed the determination of the molecular structure of the acid and its conjugate base, both in vacuo and in solution, and for computational estimates of its acidity in both phases.

Fragmentation of deprotonated glycolaldehyde in the gas phase and relevance to the formose reaction.

From gas phase reactivity studies employing tandem mass spectrometry, the unimolecular dissociation of the corresponding base of glycolaldehyde has been probed under conditions of collisional activation. Three reactions were observed (in order of decreasing abundance): loss of CO, CH2O, and loss of H2. Detailed reaction mechanisms for each of the three reactions were obtained by quantum chemical calculations, and the reaction characteristics and energetics were found to be in good agreement with experimental observations. The relevance of these findings to the formose reaction and possible interstellar formation of carbohydrates from formaldehyde is discussed. It is concluded that the critical C-C bond forming reaction between two formaldehyde molecules to give the glycoladehyde is unlikely to occur in the gas phase via a route involving the free formyl anion, thereby precluding a key pathway for interstellar formation of carbohydrates. However, an alternative formation reaction is suggested.

Energetics and mechanisms for the unimolecular dissociation of protonated trioses and relationship to proton-mediated formaldehyde polymerization to carbohydrates in interstellar environments.

We report the unimolecular decomposition of protonated glyceraldehyde, [HOCH(2)CH(OH)CHO]H(+), and protonated dihydroxyacetone, [HOCH(2)C(O)CH(2)OH]H(+). On the basis of mass spectrometric experiments and computational quantum chemistry, we have found that these isomeric ions interconvert freely at energies below that required for their unimolecular decompositions. The losses of formaldehyde and water (the latter also followed by CO loss) are the dominating processes, with formaldehyde loss having the lower energetic threshold. The reverse of the formaldehyde loss, namely, the addition of formaldehyde to protonated glycolaldehyde, appears to be an inefficient reaction at low temperature and pressure in the gas phase, leading to dissociation products. The relevance of these findings to interstellar chemistry and prebiotic chemistry is discussed, and it is concluded that the suggestion made in the literature that successive addition of formaldehyde by proton-assisted reactions should account for interstellar carbohydrates most likely is incorrect.

Energetics and reaction mechanisms for the competitive losses of H2, CH4 and C2H4 from protonated methylbenzenes--implications to the methanol- to-hydrocarbons (MTH) process.

We report the unimolecular decomposition following collisional activation of protonated mono-, di- and trimethylbenzenes as a function of collision energy. The resulting energy-resolved mass spectra are then used for the quality control of high-level quantum chemical models of the respective potential energy surfaces. Distinction is made between direct dissociation products (CH(4) or H(2)) and indirect products (alkenes), since formation of the latter requires extensive rearrangement of the molecular skeleton. Very good consistency was found between model and experiment. The models thereby provide a solid foundation for discussing the reaction mechanisms of the industrial methanol-to-hydrocarbon process. The losses of CH(4), C(2)H(4) and C(3)H(6) from mesitylenium ions have been studied by (13)C and (2)H labelling and the alkene losses were found to occur via irreversible isomerisation pathways.

Decomposition of protonated formic acid: one transition state--two product channels.

The unimolecular chemistry of protonated formic acid, [HCOOH]H(+), has been investigated by analyzing the fragmentation of metastable ions (MI) during flight in a sector mass spectrometer, and by proton transfer to formic acid in a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer. High level ab initio calculations have been used to model the relevant parts of the potential energy surface (PES). In addition, ab initio direct dynamics calculations have been conducted, tracing out 60 different reaction trajectories. The only stable isomer in the mass spectrometric experiments is HC(OH)(2)(+), which is the precursor to both observed ionic products, HCO(+) and H(3)O(+), via the same saddle point of the potential energy surface. The detailed motion of the dissociating molecule during passage of the post-transition state region of the PES therefore determines which product ion is formed. After passing the TS a transient HC(O)OH(2)(+) molecule is first formed. High total energy increases the probability that the nascent water molecule will have sufficient speed to escape the HCO(+) moiety. Otherwise, typically at low energies, the two units recombine, upon which intra-complex proton transfer is very likely. Eventually, this will give the more stable H(3)O(+).

Metastable ion study of organosilicon compounds. Part XIV-trimethylsilylacetic acid, (CH(3))(3)SiCH(2)COOH, and its methyl ester, (CH(3))(3)SiCH(2)COOCH(3).

The unimolecular metastable decompositions of trimethylsilylacetic acid, (CH(3))(3)SiCH(2)COOH (1), and its methyl ester, (CH(3))(3)SiCH(2)COOCH(3) (2), were investigated by mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) spectrometry in conjunction with thermochemical data. The abundance of the molecular ions of both compounds, generated by electron ionization, is extremely low. However, the abundance of the ions generated by the loss of (.)CH(3) and observed at m/z 117 and 131 is moderate. These fragment ions further decompose to form the most abundant m/z 75 and 89 ions, respectively, by the loss of CH(2)CO through a (CH(3))(2)Si group migration. The loss of CH(2)CO is also observed to occur from 2(+.) and its fragment ion at m/z 115 generated by the loss of (.)OCH(3). The former reaction is proposed to occur via an ion-radical complex.

Reactions of nitrophenide and halonitrophenide ions with acrylonitrile and alkyl acrylates in the gas phase: addition to the carbonyl group versus Michael addition.

Gas-phase reactions of isomeric nitrophenide ions and p-halonitrophenide ions with acrylonitrile, methyl acrylate, and ethyl acrylate have been studied using mass spectrometry and computational methods. Depending on the structure of the α,ß-unsaturated compound, formation of adducts to the carbonyl group of the acrylate (for methyl acrylate and ethyl acrylate) and ß-adducts (adducts of p-halonitrophenide ions to α,ß-unsaturated compounds in ß position) was observed. Further transformations of these adducts lead to the products of elimination of an alcohol molecule and the anionic products of intramolecular substitution of a halogen atom, respectively.

Mechanism for C-H bond activation in ethylene in the gas phase vs. in solution - vinylic or agostic? Revisiting the case of protonated Cp*Rh(C(2)H(4))(2).

When Cp*Rh(C(2)H(4))(2)H(+) (2) is exposed to C(2)H(4) in the gas phase, inside the cell of an FT-ICR mass spectrometer, the most notable feature is the lack of any bimolecular reactivity. Collisional activation of 2 leads to ethylene loss and formation of Cp*Rh(C(2)H(4)-mu-H)(+) (3). In contrast to the reactivity of 2 in solution, ethylene dimerisation is negligible in the gas phase. Coordinatively unsaturated 3, rather than 2, is the major species in which reactivity is observed to occur. Compound 3 reacts with ethylene in three parallel processes: (a) Slow addition of ethylene to give 2; (b) rapid, intermolecular hydrogen atom exchange (monitored in separate reactions with free C(2)D(4) to give 3-d(1-5)); (c) ligand substitution of ethylene in 3. DFT calculations reproduce these observations, showing low barriers for hydrogen scrambling, high barrier to ligand loss in 2, and even higher barriers to elimination of either H(2) or ethane. Mechanistic models for the elimination and scrambling processes are discussed.

Serum sickness with an elevated level of human anti-chimeric antibody following treatment with rituximab in a child with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Rituximab, a chimeric murine/human monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody, was licensed for the treatment of B-cell lymphoma and has also shown efficacy against autoimmune diseases such as immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). It is relatively safe; however, about 1-20% of patients were reported to have developed rituximab-induced serum sickness, which is more common among patients with autoimmune conditions than among those with hematologic malignancies. Here we describe a pediatric patient with steroid-dependent chronic ITP who presented with arthralgia and fever ten days after the second infusion of rituximab (on day 10), and presented with malaise and maculopapular rash on day 21. Oral prednisolone was started and his symptoms resolved. He had an elevated level of human anti-chimeric antibody (HACA) on day 27; thereafter, the HACA level slowly decreased. To our knowledge, among pediatric patients who received rituximab for chronic ITP, this is the sixth documented case of serum sickness and the only one who manifested an elevated level of HACA. Rituximab is a beneficial treatment option against chronic ITP; however, the risk of serum sickness should be considered. Steroid, usually used for the treatment of serum sickness, may prevent the development of severe serum sickness when administered during and after rituximab treatment.

Isotope exchange and structural rearrangements in reactions between size-selected ionic water clusters, H3O(+)(H2O)(n) and NH4(+)(H2O)(n), and D2O.

Hydrogen/deuterium exchange in reactions of H3O(+)(H2O)n and NH4(+)(H2O)n (1 < or = n < or = 30) with D2O has been studied experimentally at center-of-mass collisions energies of < or = 0.2 eV. For a given cluster size, the cross-sections for H3O(+)(H2O)n and NH4(+)(H2O)n are similar, indicating a structural resemblance and energetics of binding. For protonated pure water clusters, H3O(+)(H2O)n, reacting with D2O the main H/D exchange mechanism is found to be proton catalyzed. In addition the H/D scrambling becomes close to statistically randomized for the larger clusters. For NH4(+)(H2O)n clusters reacting with D2O, the main mechanism is a D2O/H2O swap reaction. The lifetimes of H3O(+)(H2O)n clusters have been estimated using RRKM theory and a plateau in lifetime vs. cluster size is found already at n = 10.

On the gas-phase reactivity of complexed OH+ with halogenated alkanes.

OH(+) is an extraordinarily strong oxidant. Complexed forms (L--OH(+)), such as H(2)OOH(+), H(3)NOH(+), or iron-porphyrin-OH(+) are the anticipated oxidants in many chemical reactions. While these molecules are typically not stable in solution, their isolation can be achieved in the gas phase. We report a systematic survey of the influence on L on the reactivity of L--OH(+) towards alkanes and halogenated alkanes, showing the tremendous influence of L on the reactivity of L--OH(+). With the help of with quantum chemical calculations, detailed mechanistic insights on these very general reactions are gained. The gas-phase pseudo-first-order reaction rates of H(2)OOH(+), H(3)NOH(+), and protonated 4-picoline-N-oxide towards isobutane and different halogenated alkanes C(n)H(2n+1)Cl (n=1-4), HCF(3), CF(4), and CF(2)Cl(2) have been determined by means of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance measurements. Reaction rates for H(2)OOH(+) are generally fast (7.2x10(-10)-3.0x10(-9) cm(3) mol(-1) s(-1)) and only in the cases HCF(3) and CF(4) no reactivity is observed. In contrast to this H(3)NOH(+) only reacts with tC(4)H(9)Cl (k(obs)=9.2x10(-10)), while 4-CH(3)-C(5)H(4)N-OH(+) is completely unreactive. While H(2)OOH(+) oxidizes alkanes by an initial hydride abstraction upon formation of a carbocation, it reacts with halogenated alkanes at the chlorine atom. Two mechanistic scenarios, namely oxidation at the halogen atom or proton transfer are found. Accurate proton affinities for HOOH, NH(2)OH, a series of alkanes C(n)H(2n+2) (n=1-4), and halogenated alkanes C(n)H(2n+1)Cl (n=1-4), HCF(3), CF(4), and CF(2)Cl(2), were calculated by using the G3 method and are in excellent agreement with experimental values, where available. The G3 enthalpies of reaction are also consistent with the observed products. The tendency for oxidation of alkanes by hydride abstraction is expressed in terms of G3 hydride affinities of the corresponding cationic products C(n)H(2n+1) (+) (n=1-4) and C(n)H(2n)Cl(+) (n=1-4). The hypersurface for the reaction of H(2)OOH(+) with CH(3)Cl and C(2)H(5)Cl was calculated at the B3 LYP, MP2, and G3(m*) level, underlining the three mechanistic scenarios in which the reaction is either induced by oxidation at the hydrogen or the halogen atom, or by proton transfer.