Volume 58, Issue 33 pp. 11324-11328
Communication

Ion-Mobility Mass Spectrometry for the Rapid Determination of the Topology of Interlocked and Knotted Molecules

Dr. Anneli Kruve

Dr. Anneli Kruve

Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany

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Kenji Caprice

Kenji Caprice

Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Geneva, 30 Quai Ernest Ansermet, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland

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Dr. Roy Lavendomme

Dr. Roy Lavendomme

Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW UK

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Jan M. Wollschläger

Jan M. Wollschläger

Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany

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Dr. Stefan Schoder

Dr. Stefan Schoder

Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany

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Dr. Hendrik V. Schröder

Dr. Hendrik V. Schröder

Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany

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Prof. Jonathan R. Nitschke

Corresponding Author

Prof. Jonathan R. Nitschke

Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW UK

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Dr. Fabien B. L. Cougnon

Corresponding Author

Dr. Fabien B. L. Cougnon

Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Geneva, 30 Quai Ernest Ansermet, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland

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Prof. Christoph A. Schalley

Corresponding Author

Prof. Christoph A. Schalley

Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany

School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 Youyi Xilu, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072 P. R. China

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First published: 07 June 2019
Citations: 52

Graphical Abstract

Cutting the Gordian knot: Collision-induced dissociation and travelling-wave ion-mobility mass spectrometry together provide a fast screening method to identify the topology of molecular Hopf and Solomon links, a [3]catenate, and a trefoil knot, even when they coexist in quickly equilibrating dynamic combinatorial libraries.

Abstract

A rapid screening method based on traveling-wave ion-mobility spectrometry (TWIMS) combined with tandem mass spectrometry provides insight into the topology of interlocked and knotted molecules, even when they exist in complex mixtures, such as interconverting dynamic combinatorial libraries. A TWIMS characterization of structure-indicative fragments generated by collision-induced dissociation (CID) together with a floppiness parameter defined based on parent- and fragment-ion arrival times provide a straightforward topology identification. To demonstrate its broad applicability, this approach is applied here to six Hopf and two Solomon links, a trefoil knot, and a [3]catenate.

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