An Essential Mass Detection Unit for Laser Spectroscopy of Chiral Aggregates at 0.4 Kelvin

用于 0.4 开尔文手性聚集体激光光谱分析的基本质量检测装置

• 批准号: RTI-2022-00239
• 负责人: Xu, Yunjie
• 金额: $ 8.69万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=741826
• 关键词: Essential; Mass; Detection; Unit; Laser

A molecule is chiral if its mirror image cannot be superimposed onto itself, just like our right and left hands. Because of the similarity of a pair of mirror images, replacing one with its mirror image, may, in many instances, introduce little or no change in the properties of the associated system. In a chirality recognition event, when a chiral molecule interacts with another chiral molecule or chiral light, however, the effect of chirality can be prominent, just as in the case of a human handshake (i.e. how different a right/right versus a left/right handshake feels). A further challenge to a chemist is how we can tell apart the right- versus the left-handed molecules. Generally, the difference is quite small, barely detectable. To improve our detection sensitivity, we need to use the tricks of chirality transfer and amplification, that is to transfer the chirality signature to a much stronger "reporter" who can amplify the feeble signal by many orders of magnitude and detect the signal from the reporter rather than directly from the source. Our research aims to identify "reporters" and evaluate what factors, such as solvent and light, influence chirality recognition/transfer/amplification events in great detail. Such knowledge will allow us to formulate rigorous chirality recognition, transfer, and amplification models with predictive power and to develop new strategies to control these events with light and other influencing factors. One powerful spectroscopic tool we have developed to facilitate our research activities described above is a hybrid laser-mass spectrometer. This instrument enables us to spray chiral species from solution into the gas phase conveniently, store them in a superfluid matrix at 0.4 K, an extremely low temperature not easily achieved by other means, and use laser spectroscopy to probe their structures one species at a time. This leading-edge instrument was designed and assembled by our HQP in the past three years. It features continuous helium nanodroplet generation and laser operation, different from the only other system in the world built by a Max Plank research group which uses a pulsed source. Unfortunately, one important instrument component, an 18-year-old quadrupole mass spectrometer unit, failed and cannot be repaired. We request funding to replace this failed component urgently. The hybrid laser-mass spectrometer is crucial for HQP's daily research activities. To get the instrument up and running again is of utmost importance in offering world-class training to HQP, and in ensuring their continuous success and competitiveness on the world stage. The outcome of the proposed research will be valuable to many subfields in chemistry, physics, and biology where chirality plays a significant role. The fundamental knowledge gained will be important for developing a broad range of chiral technologies from sensors for pharmaceutical processes to novel catalysts for chiral drug syntheses.

如果一个分子的镜像不能叠加到它自身上，就像我们的右手和左手一样，那么这个分子就是手性的。由于一对镜像的相似性，在许多情况下，用其镜像替换一个镜像可能会对相关系统的属性产生很小的变化或不产生变化。然而，在手性识别事件中，当手性分子与另一个手性分子或手性光相互作用时，手性的影响可能是突出的，就像在人类握手的情况下一样（即右/右与左/右握手感觉有多大不同）。对化学家的另一个挑战是我们如何区分右手分子和左手分子。一般来说，差异很小，几乎无法检测到。为了提高我们的检测灵敏度，我们需要使用手性转移和放大的技巧，即将手性特征转移到一个更强的“报告者”，该报告者可以将微弱的信号放大许多数量级，并检测来自报告者的信号，而不是直接从源头检测。 我们的研究旨在确定“报告”，并评估什么因素，如溶剂和光，影响手性识别/转移/放大事件的非常详细。这些知识将使我们能够制定严格的手性识别，转移和放大模型的预测能力，并制定新的策略来控制这些事件与光和其他影响因素。 一个强大的光谱工具，我们已经开发，以促进我们的研究活动，上述是一个混合激光质谱仪。该仪器使我们能够方便地将手性物质从溶液中喷射到气相中，将它们储存在0.4 K的超流基质中，这是一个通过其他手段不易实现的极低温度，并使用激光光谱法一次一种地探测它们的结构。这台先进的仪器是由我们的HQP在过去三年中设计和组装的。它具有连续氦纳米液滴生成和激光操作的特点，不同于世界上唯一由马克斯普朗克研究小组建造的使用脉冲源的其他系统。不幸的是，一个重要的仪器组件，一个18岁的四极质谱仪单元，失败了，无法修复。我们要求提供资金，紧急更换这一故障部件。混合激光质谱仪对于HQP的日常研究活动至关重要。让仪器重新启动并运行对于为HQP提供世界级的培训以及确保他们在世界舞台上持续取得成功和竞争力至关重要。这项研究的结果对于化学、物理和生物学中手性起重要作用的许多子领域都有价值。所获得的基础知识将是重要的，为开发一个广泛的手性技术，从传感器的制药过程中的手性药物合成的新型催化剂。