The rise and fall of adenine clusters in the gas phase: a glimpse into crystal growth and nucleation

The emergence of a crystal nucleus from disordered states is a critical and challenging aspect of the crystallization process, primarily due to the extremely short length and timescales involved. Methods such as liquid-cell or low-dose focal-series transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are often em...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry 2024-09, Vol.416 (23), p.5037-5048
Main Authors: Oluwatoba, Damilola S., Safoah, Happy Abena, Do, Thanh D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ABC Highlights: authored by Rising Stars and Top Experts
Adenine
Analytical Chemistry
Biochemistry
Cell size
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Chemistry
Chemistry and Materials Science
Clusters
Crystal growth
Crystallization
Crystallography
Crystals
Food Science
Ionic mobility
Ions
Laboratory Medicine
Mass spectrometry
Mass spectroscopy
Monitoring/Environmental Analysis
Nucleation
Paper in Forefront
Scientific imaging
Single crystals
Sulfates
Transmission electron microscopy
Unit cell
Vapor phases
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Summary:The emergence of a crystal nucleus from disordered states is a critical and challenging aspect of the crystallization process, primarily due to the extremely short length and timescales involved. Methods such as liquid-cell or low-dose focal-series transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are often employed to probe these events. In this study, we demonstrate that ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) offers a complementary and insightful perspective on the nucleation process by examining the sizes and shapes of small clusters, specifically those ranging from n  = 2 to 40. Our findings reveal the significant role of sulfate ions in the growth of adeninediium sulfate clusters, which are the precursors to the formation of single crystals. Specifically, sulfate ions stabilize adenine clusters at the 1:1 ratio. In contrast, guanine sulfate forms smaller clusters with varied ratios, which become stable as they approach the 1:2 ratio. The nucleation size is predicted to be between n  = 8 and 14, correlating well with the unit cell dimensions of adenine crystals. This correlation suggests that IMS-MS can identify critical nucleation sizes and provide valuable structural information consistent with established crystallographic data. We also discuss the strengths and limitations of IMS-MS in this context. IMS-MS offers rapid and robust experimental protocols, making it a valuable tool for studying the effects of various additives on the assembly of small molecules. Additionally, it aids in elucidating nucleation processes and the growth of different crystal polymorphs. Graphical Abstract
ISSN:1618-2642
1618-2650
1618-2650
DOI:10.1007/s00216-024-05442-2