Issue 8, 2011

Structure and unimolecular chemistry of protonated sulfur betaines, (CH3)2S+(CH2)nCO2H (n = 1 and 2)

Abstract

The fixed charge zwitterionic sulfur betaines dimethylsulfonioacetate (DMSA) (CH3)2S+CH2CO2 and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) (CH3)2S+(CH2)2CO2 have been synthesized and the structures of their protonated salts (CH3)2S+CH2CO2H⋯Cl [DMSA.HCl] and (CH3)2S+(CH2)2CO2H⋯Pcr [DMSP.HPcr] (where Pcr = picrate) have been characterized using X-ray crystallography. The unimolecular chemistry of the [M+H]+ of these betaines was studied using two techniques; collision-induced dissociation (CID) and electron-induced dissociation (EID) in a hybrid linear ion trap Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. Results from the CID study show a richer series of fragmentation reactions for the shorter chain betaine and contrasting main fragmentation pathways. Thus while (CH3)2S+(CH2)2CO2H fragments via a neighbouring group reaction to generate (CH3)2S+H and the neutral lactone as the most abundant fragmentation channel, (CH3)2S+CH2CO2H fragments via a 1,2 elimination reaction to generate CH3S+[double bond, length as m-dash]CH2 as the most abundant fragment ion. To gain insights into these fragmentation reactions, DFT calculations were carried out at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,p) level of theory. For (CH3)2S+CH2CO2H, the lowest energy pathway yields CH3S+[double bond, length as m-dash]CH2via a six-membered transition state. The two fragment ions observed in CID of (CH3)2S+(CH2)2CO2H are shown to share the same transition state and ion-molecule complex forming either (CH3)2S+H or (CH2)2CO2H+. Finally, EID shows a rich and relatively similar fragmentation channels for both protonated betaines, with radical cleavages being observed, including loss of ˙CH3.

Graphical abstract: Structure and unimolecular chemistry of protonated sulfur betaines, (CH3)2S+(CH2)nCO2H (n = 1 and 2)

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
23 Sep 2010
Accepted
06 Jan 2011
First published
28 Feb 2011

Org. Biomol. Chem., 2011,9, 2751-2759

Structure and unimolecular chemistry of protonated sulfur betaines, (CH3)2S+(CH2)nCO2H (n = 1 and 2)

E. J. Yoo, L. Feketeová, G. N. Khairallah, J. M. White and R. A. J. O'Hair, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2011, 9, 2751 DOI: 10.1039/C0OB00770F

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