Eur. Phys. J. D 52, 191-194 (2009)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2008-00272-2

Formation and photofragmentation properties of isolated aromatic amino acid-silver cluster hybrids

LASIM, UMR CNRS 5579, Université Lyon 1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France

Corresponding author: ^a dugourd@lasim.univ-lyon1.fr

Received: 19 September 2008
Published online: 24 January 2009

Abstract

The formation of isolated [ (Trp-2H)+Ag₉] ⁺ and [ (Tyr-2H)+Ag₉] ⁺ amino-acid-Ag₉ hybrids is reported. The photofragmentation yields of the aromatic amino acid-silver cluster hybrids, as well as those of the protonated tryptophan and tyrosine molecules ([Trp+H]⁺ and [Tyr+H]⁺) have been recorded. The fragmentation yields of the complexes are higher than the yields for [Trp+H]⁺ and [Tyr+H]⁺ and present an extension of the fragmentation on the red side of the spectrum. The photofragmentation spectrum of [ Trp+Ag₉] ⁺ was recently reported [Mitric et al., J. Chem. Phys. 127, 134301 (2007)]. While the optical spectra of substituted [ (Trp-2H)+Ag₉] ⁺ and non-substituted [ Trp+Ag₉] ⁺ complexes are very similar, a strong modification of the fragmentation channels between the two complexes is observed. The fragmentation channels are sensitive to the type of bonding in aromatic amino acid-silver cluster hybrids and can be used as fingerprints of structures.