Metal-ligand redox reactions in gas-phase quaternary peptide-metal complexes by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Abstract The dipeptides Phe-Leu, Leu-Phe, Leu-Ala, and Ala-Leu form quaternary complexes of the type [Cu(II)(peptide - 2H+M)bpy] + in the gas phase when electrosprayed in the presence of Cu(II) salts, 2.2′-bipyridyl (bpy), and an alkali hydroxide (MOH). The gas-phase complexes decarboxylate on collisional activation at low ion kinetic energies. The resulting ions undergo unusual eliminations of neutral Na, K, and Rb, which depend on the peptide structure. The ionization energy of the decarboxylated Phe-Leu-Cu-bpy complex was bracketed at 4.2 eV. Other collision-induced dissociations also depend on the alkali metal ion and the peptide structure. Ab initio calculations on a model system are reported and used to discuss the electronic properties of the peptide complexes.