The first experimentally determined sequential bond dissociation energies of Zn(2+)(H(2)O)(n) complexes, where n = 6-10, are measured using threshold collision-induced dissociation in a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer coupled with an electrospray ionization source. Kinetic energy dependent cross sections are obtained and analyzed to yield 0 K threshold measurements for the loss of one and two water ligands after accounting for multiple collisions, kinetic shifts, and energy distributions. The threshold measurements are then converted from 0 to 298 K values to give the hydration energies for sequentially losing one water from each parent complex. Theoretical geometry optimizations and single-point energy calculations are performed using several levels of theory for comparison to experiment. Although different levels of theory disagree on the ground-state conformation of most complexes examined here leading to potential ambiguities in the final thermochemical values, calculations at the MP2(full) level provide the best agreement with experiment. On this basis, the present experiments are most consistent with the inner solvent shell of Zn(2+) being five waters, except for Zn(2+)(H(2)O)(6) where all waters bind directly to the metal ion. The charge separation process, Zn(2+)(H(2)O)(n) --> ZnOH(+)(H(2)O)(m) + H(+)(H(2)O)(n-m-1), which is in competition with the loss of water from the parent complex, is also observed for n = 6-8. These processes are analyzed in detail in the following paper.

The interactions of alkali metal cations (M(+) = Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Rb(+)) with the amino acid cysteine (Cys) are examined in detail. Experimentally, bond energies are determined using threshold collision-induced dissociation of the M(+)(Cys) complexes with xenon in a guided ion beam mass spectrometer. Analyses of the energy dependent cross sections provide 0 K bond energies of 2.65 +/- 0.12, 1.83 +/- 0.05, 1.25 +/- 0.03, and 1.06 +/- 0.03 eV for complexes of Cys with Li(+), Na(+), K(+), and Rb(+), respectively. All bond energy determinations include consideration of unimolecular decay rates, internal energy of reactant ions, and multiple ion-molecule collisions. Ab initio calculations at the MP2(full)/6-311+G(2d,2p), B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,2p), and B3P86/6-311+G(2d,2p) levels with geometries and zero-point energies calculated at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level for the lighter metals show good agreement with the experimental bond energies. For Rb(+)(Cys), similar calculations using the HW* basis set and ECP underestimate the experimental bond energies, whereas the Def2TZVP basis set yields results in good agreement. Ground state conformers are tridentate for Li(+) and Na(+), and subtle changes in the Cys side-chain orientation are found to cause noticeable changes in the alkali metal binding energy. For K(+) and Rb(+), tridentate and carboxylic acid bound (both charge-solvated and zwitterionic) structures are nearly isoenergetic, with different levels of theory predicting different ground conformers. The combination of this series of experiments and calculations allows the influence of the sulfur functional group of Cys on the overall binding strength to be explored. Comparison to previous results for serine elucidates the influence of sulfur for oxygen substitution.

In the preceding article, the hydration energies of Zn(2+)(H(2)O)(n) complexes, where n = 6-10, were measured using threshold collision-induced dissociation (CID) in a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer (GIBMS) coupled with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source. The present investigation explores the charge-separation processes observed, Zn(2+)(H(2)O)(n) --> ZnOH(+)(H(2)O)(m) + H(+)(H(2)O)(n-m-1), and the competition between this process and the loss of water. Our results demonstrate that charge-separation processes occur at variable complex sizes of n = 6, 7, and 8, prompting a redefinition of the critical size for charge separation. Experimental kinetic energy-dependent cross sections are analyzed to yield 0 K threshold energies for the charge-separation products and the effects of competition with this channel on the energies for losing one and two water ligands after accounting for multiple collisions, kinetic shifts, and energy distributions. A complete reaction coordinate is calculated for the n = 7 complex dissociating into ZnOH(+)(H(2)O)(3) + H(+)(H(2)O)(3). Calculated rate-limiting transition states for n = 6-8 are also compared to experimental threshold measurements for the charge-separation processes.

Complexes of Zn(2+)(H(2)O)(n), where n = 6-12, are examined using infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectroscopy, blackbody infrared radiative dissociation (BIRD), and theory. Geometry optimizations and frequency calculations are performed at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level along with single point energy calculations for relative energetics at the B3LYP, B3P86, and MP2(full) levels with a 6-311+G(2d,2p) basis set. The IRPD spectrum of Zn(2+)(H(2)O)(8) is most consistent with the calculated spectrum of the five-coordinate MP2(full) ground-state (GS) species. Results from larger complexes also point toward a coordination number of five, although contributions from six-coordinate species cannot be ruled out. For n = 6 and 7, comparisons of the individual IRPD spectra with calculated spectra are less conclusive. However, in combination with the BIRD and laser photodissociation kinetics as well as a comparison to hydrated Cu(2+) and Ca(2+), the presence of five-coordinate species with some contribution from six-coordinate species seems likely. Additionally, the BIRD rate constants show that Zn(2+)(H(2)O)(6) and Zn(2+)(H(2)O)(7) complexes are less stable than Zn(2+)(H(2)O)(8). This trend is consistent with previous work that demonstrates the enthalpic favorability of the charge separation process forming singly charged hydrated metal hydroxide and protonated water complexes versus loss of a water molecule for complexes of n ≤ 7. Overall, these results are most consistent with the lowest-energy structures calculated at the MP2(full) level of theory and disagree with those calculated at B3LYP and B3P86 levels.