Experimental and<i>ab initio</i>study of the photofragmentation of DNA and RNA sugars

Abstract

The photoelectron-photoion-photoion coincidence method is used to measure the photodissociation of doubly charged D-ribose (C${}_{5}$H${}_{10}$O${}_{5}$), the RNA sugar molecules, and 2-deoxy-D-ribose (C${}_{5}$H${}_{10}$O${}_{4}$), the DNA sugar molecules, following normal Auger decay after initial C 1$s$ and O 1$s$ core ionizations. The fragment identification is facilitated by measuring isotopically labeled D-ribose, such as D-ribose deuterated at C(1), and with ${}^{13}$C at the C(5) position. Ab initio quantum chemistry calculations are used to gain further insight into the abundant appearance of the CHO${}^{+}$ fragment.