Interaction of Electrons with Indole, Tryptophan, and their Derivatives in the Gas Phase

The electron energy loss spectra (EELS) of indole, 3-indolyl propionic acid, 3-indolealdehyde, 3-dimethylaminomethylindole, tryptophan, and N-acetyl-L-tryptophan in the gas phase upon excitation by monokinetic electrons with an energy of E0 = 11–50 eV are obtained. The structure of EELS is determined in the main by the indole chromophore; the side groups, except for the C=O group of 3-indolealdehyde, exert an insignificant influence. The energy of the lower triplet level 3La is 3.3 eV for indole and its derivatives and 3.2 eV for tryptophan and N-acetyl-L-tryptophan. Four singlet transitions in the region of 4.4–7.2 eV have been identified. The molecules studied, except for tryptophan, fluoresce in the gas phase on excitation by electrons. At low values of E0 (10–25 eV), the fluorescence spectra are similar and are due to the indole fluorophore. Just as in the case of optical excitation, fluorescence on excitation by electrons is associated with the 1Lb-S0 transitions. An increase in the energy E0 up to 60–80 eV leads to dissociation of a portion of the indole molecules and to the appearance of additional bands in the fluorescence spectrum.