US-Netherlands Dissertation Enhancement: Using Infrared Spectra to Distinguish Isomeric Ions

Florida State University, Tallahassee FL

Investigators

Abstract

0443540 Marshall This one-year award will support the dissertation enhancement project of Jose Valle, a University of Florida student at the National High Field FT-ICR Mass Spectroscopy Facility supported by NSF. Mr. Valle's research involves using infrared spectra to distinguish between structural isomers of various classes of ions. He is concentrating on mono- and small oligo-saccharides. He will make two extended visits to a free electron laser (FEL) facility at the Institute for Plasma Physics (FOM) in The Netherlands. Mr. Valle will work with Dr. Jos Oomens, coordinator of the Molecular Dynamics program at the FOM institute. He will use a unique instrumental configuration that couples a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer to the free electron laser for infrared experiments (FELIX) to permit infrared (ir) spectra of gaseous ions to be obtained for classes of chemical species. He will concentrate on using the ir spectra he obtains to differentiate between structural isomers of small saccharides and will obtain the spectra of one or more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon ions formed by electrospray ionization. He will also spend a week at a second FTICR-FEL facility at the University of Paris XI. He will offer the Europeans interaction with a knowledgeable Hispanic and a more complete picture of the cultural diversity present in US higher education.