In this study, the structures of [Na(GlyAla)(H2O)](+) and [Ca(GlyAla-H)(H2O)n](+), (n = 1-3) solvated ion-molecule complexes (as well as the AlaGly isomers) were investigated using infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and with computational methods. Calculations showed that in the calcium clusters, the lowest-energy complex is the one in which the peptide is deprotonated at the carboxylic acid end and that Ca(2+) binds to both carboxylate oxygen atoms as well as the amide carbonyl oxygen. For the microsolvated structures, all three water molecules also bind directly to Ca(2+). For the singly, doubly, and triply solvated complexes, these structures are supported by experimental IRMPD spectra. For the [Na(GlyAla)(H2O)](+) complex, both carbonyl oxygen atoms, one from the intact carboxylic acid and one from the amide group, as well as the water molecule were found to be bound to the Na(+). In all of the spectra, a strong band is observed between 3300 and 3400 cm(-1) and is assigned to the amide N-H stretch, which is red-shifted due to hydrogen bonding with the amine nitrogen. The position of the hydrogen-bonded amide N-H stretch is experimentally and theoretically found to be sensitive to the number of water molecules; it is shown to blue shift upon successive hydrations.

Complexes of Mn(2+) with deprotonated GlyGly are investigated by sustained off-resonance irradiation collision-induced dissociation (SORI-CID), infrared multiple-photon dissociation spectroscopy, ion-molecule reactions, and computational methods. Singly [Mnn (GlyGly-H)2n-1 ](+) and doubly [Mnn+1 (GlyGly-H)2n ](2+) charged clusters are formed from aqueous solutions of MnCl2 and GlyGly by electrospray ionization. The most intense ion produced was the singly charged [M2 (GlyGly-H)3 ](+) cluster. Singly charged clusters show extensive fragmentations of small neutral molecules such as water and carbon dioxide as well as dissociation pathways related to the loss of NH2 CHCO and GlyGly. For the doubly charged clusters, however, loss of GlyGly is observed as the main dissociation pathway. Structure elucidation of [Mn3 (GlyGly-H)4 ](2+) clusters has also been done by IRMPD spectroscopy as well as DFT calculations. It is shown that the lowest energy structure of the [Mn3 (GlyGly-H)4 ](2+) cluster is deprotonated at all carboxylic acid groups and metal ions are coordinated with carbonyl oxygen atoms, and that all amine nitrogen atoms are hydrogen bonded to the amide hydrogen. A comparison of the calculated high-spin (sextet) and low-spin (quartet) state structures of [Mn3 (GlyGly-H)4 ](2+) is provided. IRMPD spectroscopic results are in agreement with the lowest energy high-spin structure computed. Also, the gas-phase reactivity of these complexes towards neutral CO and water was investigated. The parent complexes did not add any water or CO, presumably due to saturation at the metal cation. However, once some of the ligand was removed via CO2 laser IRMPD, water was seen to add to the complex. These results are consistent with high-spin Mn(2+) complexes.

The unimolecular chemistry and structures of self-assembled complexes containing multiple alkaline-earth-metal dications and deprotonated GlyGly ligands are investigated. Singly and doubly charged ions [Mn (GlyGly-H)n-1 ](+) (n=2-4), [Mn+1 (GlyGly-H)2n ](2+) (n=2,4,6), and [M(GlyGly-H)GlyGly](+) were observed. The losses of 132 Da (GlyGly) and 57 Da (determined to be aminoketene) were the major dissociation pathways for singly charged ions. Doubly charged Mg(2+) clusters mainly lost GlyGly, whereas those containing Ca(2+) or Sr(2+) also underwent charge separation. Except for charge separation, no loss of metal cations was observed. Infrared multiple photon dissociation spectra were the most consistent with the computed IR spectra for the lowest energy structures, in which deprotonation occurs at the carboxyl acid groups and all amide and carboxylate oxygen atoms are complexed to the metal cations. The N-H stretch band, observed at 3350 cm(-1) , is indicative of hydrogen bonding between the amine nitrogen atoms and the amide hydrogen atom. This study represents the first into large self-assembled multimetallic complexes bound by peptide ligands.