Fragmentation and dimerization of aliphatic amino acid films induced by vacuum ultraviolet irradiation

The chemical reaction of aliphatic amino acid, such as alanine (Ala) and leucine (Leu), in the solid phase induced by vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) irradiation was studied by high-performance liquid chromatography technique and mass spectroscopic method. Quantum efficiencies of dimerization of Ala in the solid phase obviously showed irradiated VUV wavelength dependence. The values of quantum efficiencies of formation of Ala dimer were determined to be 5.7×10-5, 1.3×10-3, and 2.4×10-4 for 208, 183, and 87 nm irradiation, respectively. VUV-induced fragment desorption from Ala and Leu films has also been examined by mass spectroscopic method. Observed mass spectra clearly indicated that both the deamination and decarboxylation reactions were common in both Ala and Leu films, and the dissociation of side chain occurred only in Leu film.