Photofragmentation in selected tautomers of protonated adenine

Abstract

The photofragmentation by UV excitation of selectively prepared 1⁺+ and 3⁺+ tautomers of protonated adenine is studied after excitation at a 266 and 263 nm wavelengths with two different experimental set-ups located in Seoul and Orsay. While the production of 1⁺+ tautomers with an electrospray ion source is now well accepted, calculations were used to ascribe the preparation of 3⁺+ tautomers from cold adenine dimers. The fragmentation patterns are rather similar for both tautomers, suggesting similar mechanisms as a statistical fragmentation in the ground electronic state after internal conversion.