Photoelectron spectroscopy of the parent anions of the nucleotides, adenosine- 5 ′ -monophosphate and 2 ′ deoxyadenosine- 5 ′ -monophosphate

The parent anions of the nucleotides, adenosine- 5 ′ -monophosphate (AMPH) and 2 ′ deoxyadenosine- 5 ′ -monophosphate (dAMPH) were generated in a novel source and their photoelectron spectra recorded with 3.49 eV photons. Vertical detachment energy (VDE) and the adiabatic electron affinity ( EA a ) values were extracted from each of the two spectra. Concurrently, Kobylecka [ J. Chem. Phys. 128 , 044315 ( 2008 )] conducted calculations which explored electron attachment to dAMPH. Based on the agreement between their calculated and our measured VDE and EA a values, we conclude that the dAMPH − anions studied in these experiments were formed by electron-induced, intramolecular, (barrier-free) proton-transfer as predicted by the calculations. Given the similarities between the photoelectron spectra of dAMPH − and AMPH − , it is likely that AMPH − can be described in the same manner.