Missing levels lead to additional lines: the influence of nuclear spin statistics on femtosecond degenerate four wave mixing spectroscopy of polyatomic systems.

We present the results of comprehensive experimental and theoretical studies of the effect of nuclear spin statistics on the structure of rotational recurrences in femtosecond degenerate four-wave mixing (fs DFWM) spectra of asymmetric top molecules. New recurrences of J-type with a period of 1/[4(B + C)] are identified in fs DFWM spectra of near-prolate tops SO2 [H. M. Frey, P. Beaud, T. Gerber, B. Mischler, P. P. Radi and A. P. Tzannis, J. Raman Spectrosc., 2000, 31, 71] and NO2 [I. Pastirk, M. Comstock and M. Dantus, Chem. Phys. Lett., 2001, 349, 71]. Our measurements of the asymmetric oblate-like top CH3NO2 revealed new recurrences of A-type with a period of 1/(8A), A, B and C being the rotational constants.The incorporation of nuclear spin statistics into the fs DFWM simulation-fitting code allowed us to successfully reproduce all these new features and the subsequent theoretical analyses uncovered mechanisms of their appearance. The nuclear spin statistics is shown to have a profound effect on fs DFWM spectra of asymmetric top species, notably with several zero spin nuclei.

Detection of intact hemoglobin from aqueous solution with laser desorption mass spectrometry.

Laser induced liquid beam ionization/desorption mass spectrometry (LILBID-MS) is a new desorption method recently developed in our laboratory. This method allows ions to be desorbed directly from the liquid phase into the high-vacuum region of a mass spectrometer. This method has now been applied to the detection of noncovalent protein-protein complexes. The example given in this paper is the quartenary complex of human hemoglobin. For the first time, the intact hemoglobin could be detected by laser desorption mass spectrometry. Furthermore, evidence for the specificity of the complex is given.

Cation selectivity of natural and synthetic ionophores probed with laser-induced liquid beam mass spectrometry.

The novel laser desorption method laser-induced liquid beam ionization/desorption (LILBID) is applied to the mass spectrometric examination of selective ion binding by natural and synthetic ionophores in methanol solutions. The ions are desorbed from a liquid jet with an IR laser pulse and then extracted perpendicularly into a reflectron time-of-flight (RE-TOF) analyzer. LILBID studies on the natural ion carriers valinomycin and monensin A are presented, as well as those on the synthetic crown ethers 18-crown-6, diaza-18-crown-6, and benzo-15-crown-5. No fragment ions are detected, and the measured ion selectivity is in good qualitative agreement with published stability constants of the complexes. The observed specific recognition of silver ions by diaza-18-crown-6 can be rationalized by the principle of hard and soft acids and bases, which predicts stable complexes when the polarizabilities of Lewis acid and base are similar. Weak, noncovalent interactions like those in the sandwich complex between two benzo-15-crown-5 molecules with one potassium ion are detected with LILBID. Their preservation during the process of ion desorption depends on the laser intensity. A comparison with spectra obtained by using electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) shows that LILBID can potentially become a sensitive tool for the screening of weak but specific molecular interactions.