Forming Bonds While Breaking Old Ones: Isomer-Dependent Formation of H3O+ from Aminobenzoic Acid During X-ray-Induced Fragmentation.

Intramolecular hydrogen transfer, a reaction where donor and acceptor sites of a hydrogen atom are part of the same molecule, is a ubiquitous reaction in biochemistry and organic synthesis. In this work, we report hydronium ion (H3O+) production from aminobenzoic acid (ABA) after core-level ionization with soft X-ray synchrotron radiation. The formation of H3O+ during the fragmentation requires that at least two hydrogen atoms migrate to one of the oxygen atoms within the molecule. The comparison of two structural isomers, ortho- and meta-ABA, revealed that the production of H3O+ depends strongly on the structure of the molecule, the ortho-isomer being much more prone to produce H3O+. The isomer-dependency suggests that the amine group acts as a donor in the hydrogen transfer process. In the case of ortho-ABA, detailed H3O+ production pathways were investigated using photoelectron-photoion-photoion coincidence (PEPIPICO) spectroscopy. It was found that H3O+ can result from a direct two-body dissociation but also from sequential fragmentation processes.

Surface Chemistry of Gold Nanoparticles Produced by Laser Ablation in Pure and Saline Water.

Pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) is a powerful method for producing nanoparticle colloids with a long-term stability despite the absence of stabilizing organic agents. The colloid stability involves different reactivities and chemical equilibria with complex ionic-specific effects at the nanoparticle/solvent interface which must be strongly influenced by their chemical composition. In this work, the surface composition of PLAL-produced gold nanoparticles in alkaline and saline (NaBr) water is investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on free-flying nanoparticles, exempt from any substrate or radiation damage artifact. The Au 4f photoelectron spectra with a depth profiling investigation are used to evaluate the degree of nanoparticle surface oxidation. In alkaline water, the results preclude any surface oxidation contrary to the case of nanoparticles produced in NaBr solution. In addition, the analysis of Br 3d core-level photoelectron spectra agrees with a clear signature of Br on the nanoparticle surface, which is confirmed by a specific valence band feature. This experimental study is supported by DFT calculations, evaluating the energy balance of halide adsorption on different configurations of gold surfaces including oxidation or adsorbed salts.